It’s been a busy time for Vodafone. Earlier this week the mobile giant announced a deal with Warner Music that now sees the company become the first global mobile network operator to offer its customers over-the-air access to a DRM-free music catalogue spanning the big four companies: Universal, Sony, EMI and Warner.
Though the days of criminalising music sharing are nearly over, it is good to see more companies just getting on with offering music in formats not crippled with proprietary formats or copy-protection schemes — which generally hurt and confuse the average consumer more than those hellbent on copying and distributing music on a large scale.
Of course, there’s always something in it for the companies involved — that of trying to sell additional band-related merchandise to fans who have downloaded tracks.
Vodafone mobile users will soon have access to over one million tracks, hopefully with the ability to take that music away with them if they ever choose to de-shackle themselves from the big red.
Originally posted on September 24, 2009 @ 10:31 am