“Microsoft’s top lawyer has warned Apple not to complain too loudly to record labels about music copyright restrictions, saying the computer giant was already selling plenty of iPod music players,” AFP reports.
“‘I’m not a big believer in just blaming the music industry for Apple’s inability to sell every conceivable iPod,’ said Brad Smith, senior vice-president and general counsel at the US software giant. ‘I think they’re (Apple) doing pretty well from what I can tell. In fact, I think the music companies are the ones who right now are doing a little less well,'” AFP reports.
“Last week British music giant EMI said it would offer songs by Coldplay, Madonna and a host of other stars for download without copy protection, as part of a deal with Apple’s iTunes website,” AFP reports. “Mr Smith said Microsoft would be interested in similar deals for its Zune player, which made a lacklustre debut in US stores last year.”
“‘At the same time I wouldn’t go as far as Steve Jobs did and suggest that everything is the fault of the record labels,’ he said. ‘I believe that, fundamentally, people who produce content and who own the rights to that content deserve the opportunity to make their own decisions about how they want to provide that content to the public,'” AFP reports.
Full article here.
[Thanks to MacDailyNews Reader “Another Irish Dude” for the heads up.]
The music labels are to blame for DRM.
Apple has demonstrated unparalleled ability to sell every conceivable iPod for over half a decade. That’s 100 million and counting, Brad.
Furthermore, Brad Smith’s comments make no sense. Smith says he’s not a believer in blaming the music industry for Apple’s “inability to sell every conceivable iPod,” but then basically says that Apple’s selling “plenty of iPods,” so who’s blaming the music industry for what, again, Brad? He’s interested in DRM-free deals with the labels for the joke that is Microsoft’s Zune, but says that the labels that own the rights deserve the opportunity to make their own decisions. That’s exactly what EMI did, Brad; EMI decided to sell DRM-free music. We guess we shouldn’t be surprised to hear a lawyer speak illogical gibberish, but what the heck is he trying to say?!
Regardless of the meaninglessness of the advice, the day Steve Jobs needs any guidance from some Microsoft mouthpiece is the day we dump our Macs and switch to Windows.
Related articles:
Microsoft: DRM-free music in Zune’s future – April 05, 2007
>BusinessWeek: Apple-backed AAC format beating Microsoft’s proprietary WMA in music standards war – April 05, 2007
Apple’s DRM-free iTunes play trumps Microsoft’s huge bet on DRM – April 02, 2007
Apple: Higher quality 256 kbps AAC DRM-free music on iTunes Store coming in May – April 02, 2007
Microsoft paints Zune pink in desperate bid to increase anemic sales – March 22, 2007
Apple CEO Steve Jobs’ posts rare open letter: ‘Thoughts on Music’ – calls for DRM-free music – February 06, 2007
Buh-bye: Senior Zune exec exits Microsoft – January 31, 2007
Last quarter: Microsoft lost $289 million on Zune, CE devices – January 26, 2007
NPD: Apple iPod held 72% share of PMP market in December; Microsoft Zune had 2.8% share – January 21, 2007
RealMoney’s Comeau predicts: ‘Microsoft will kill the first Zune media player by midyear’ – December 16, 2006
Zune: Welcome to the social isolation – December 11, 2006
Thurrott reviews Microsoft Zune: ‘a joke, a travesty, I can’t imagine what they were thinking’ – November 28, 2006
Ihnatko: Microsoft Zune experience about as pleasant as having an airbag deploy in your face – November 24, 2006
TheStreet.com: It’s not looking good for Microsoft’s Zune; bad press may taint brand for years – November 24, 2006
Microsoft’s Zune selling like snotcakes – November 15, 2006
Engadget: Microsoft’s Zune software: ‘It sucks’ – November 13, 2006
BusinessWeek: ‘By this time next year, Microsoft’s Zune will be considered a dismal failure’ – November 10, 2006
Forbes: Microsoft’s Zune stinks; like ‘Microsoft Bob,’ only more embarrassing – November 09, 2006
Thurrott on Microsoft’s Zune: ‘The makings of a disaster, what the heck are these people thinking?’ – September 29, 2006
” In fact, I think the music companies are the ones who right now are doing a little less well,'””
They should stop chruning out so much crap then. Profits are not a birthright of any company. You have to turn out a good product to deserve them.
“‘I believe that, fundamentally, people who produce content and who own the rights to that content deserve the opportunity to make their own decisions about how they want to provide that content to the public,'””
And the public has a right to determine if they want to accept those terms by not purchasing that very product. They also have a right to not purchase something that is an overpriced ripoff.
what a bloody prawn.
the day Steve Jobs needs any guidance from some Microsoft mouthpiece is the day we dump our Macs and switch to Windows.
the day Steve Jobs needs any guidance from some Microsoft mouthpiece is the day we dump our Macs and switch to Windows.
the day Steve Jobs needs any guidance from some Microsoft mouthpiece is the day we dump our Macs and switch to Windows.
…… Mac’s forever!
‘At the same time I wouldn’t go as far as Steve Jobs did and suggest that everything is the fault of the record labels,’ he said. ‘I believe that, fundamentally, people who produce content and who own the rights to that content deserve the opportunity to make their own decisions about how they want to provide that content to the public,
DRM is used as a tool for control, not only for what the consumer can’t do with their content, but for what devices the Record Labels want to control.
Basically this lawyer is telling the Labels they will lose control if they give up DRM.
Microsoft is scared because Apple would further cement themselves in the eyes of the public, being viewed as a liberator of their content. This is good for Apple as it would insure future sales of hardware based upon loyalty.
Microsoft has built up this perception with the Labels that they can adequatly protect content, the fact is they can’t.
Microsoft can’t even protect their own Vista, it’s been soundly cracked.
Microsoft’s lawyers should shut the hell up as they are dumber than all of them! DRM was imposed on Apple from the very beginning from the music labels. The record labels said either you put DRM on all the music you sell or we won’t let you sell anything. So Apple followed there rules.
Microsoft’s lawyers are the prositutes of the record labels and the RIAA who are the pimps. What do they know about selling music? There just scared because they said DRM was the way to go and now that is starting to fall apart right on top of there prostituted little heads, idiots!
the top lawyer for Microsoft should not be spending any of his time giving others free advice. He has a full time job keeping Microsoft out of hot water and jail for their business practices. Brad needs to focus again on calling Google a monopoly.
Microsoft’s advice is worth just what Apple paid to buy it.
I don’t blame the labels, I blame Brad Smith.
I wonder if anyone had a hard time recognizing what Brad was saying, since he probably had the spunk of music company executives gargling in his throat.
MS is the bitch of content producers. If you use windows, you’re microsoft’s bitch.
Oh brother…
MS is starting to look and act like the little school yard piss ants they really are.
What’s next, my daddy can beat your daddy up?
This whole DRM thing is confusing to me. If someone is legally purchasing a track, why are the music companies concerned about that? After all the music I’ve legally bought from iTunes and emusic, do they really think I’m going to just give it away on limewire or something? I paid for it. Maybe I’ll burn a disc for a close friend but that’s about it.
Am I missing something here?
microsoft’s lawyer gives Apple advice? Ha Ha Ha… Son, why dont you just go eat shit & die before mouthing off a full load of shit. Listen stupid, the music labels are to blame for DRM just like your client microshit is to blame for the state of pc computing today, nothing but virus & malware everywhere, now you should look up to Apple & learn a few thing it’s doing and stop kissing your clients ass & now the music labels, another bunch of morons.
“Q: How can you tell when a lawyer is lying?
A: He’s speaking”
little repsect please, we’re talking about the next atty general here.
I’ll have whatever Smith is smokink! Brah ha ha ha!!
Hey Brad! You should stop worrying about Apple and focus on Microsoft.
Quote from Pirates of Silicon Valley: “if he’s not careful he’s gonna wreck the place”
Turn that one around.
Just why is it that Microsoft’s top lawyer is giving unsolicited advice to Apple?
What’s it to him?
Actually, Microsoft is to blame for DRM. If they had their way, everything would be DRM’d and we be renting our music.
“little repsect please, we’re talking about the next atty general here.”
I’ll have to expatriate if that happens.
No surprise that MS would have a dig at Apple using a lawyer. Microsoft is a legal/marketing firm, not a software firm!! Search ‘Preston Gates Ellis’and maybe throw in Abramoff too.
Oh hell, here’s a link:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Preston_Gates_Ellis
He’s just trying to suck-up to the record labels.
“See record labels, were bashing Apple. We’re on your side!”
@ Cylon
The record companies THINK that the reason that sale for their music is down is because everyone must be stealing their content.
Because of that they THINK wrapping music/video/etc with DRM will prevent this from happening.
Therefore, they think DRM will be THEIR savior.
AND MS is saying to the Music Companies we can do this for you and save you from ALL those listeners that are stealing YOUR music (product).
This is why I think we are hearing from the M$ legal department. Its really a message to the music companies – “look we support you. Bad old Apple is taking away your product, work with us and we’ll protect you, we have the technology.”
The problem is the music companies have lost focus on the real problem – its the quality that effects sales. Instead of THINKING your customers are all thieves they should try to provide good product (music).
Why would anyone want to buy product that sucks from someone who THINKS you’re a thief??
My 2 cents.
This Brad Smith character is a great asset to the anti-Microsoft community. Almost as much as Ballmer.
Just keep digging, buddy…
right, which is why indie labels who sell their songs without DRM on other stores have been able to sell them without DRM since day one…
right?
apple’s hands are just as dirty here.
mw. research. do it.
99% of lawyers give the rest a bad name