"The Times reported in February that Apple agreed to the studios’ demands for variable pricing only in exchange for allowing iPhone owners to buy songs over the 3G network, and for dropping the copyright protections known as digital rights management on digital music files. Today Apple is also completing that transition. The ten million tracks in the iTunes store are now finally free of Apple’s proprietary Fairplay DRM, which restricted iTunes customers to playing protected songs only on their computers or on Apple devices like the iPod and iPhone." Wohoo, DRM is dead! This makes itunes a lot more attractive to me. - Evan Parker

But I don't get why people would continue to buy from iTunes when unDRM'd MP3s are available on Amazon for 99 cents (quite often MUCH less), on lala for 89 cents (also often for a lot less), and so on. It's not a matter of actual convenience (both services automatically load your bought MP3s right into your iTunes). Is brand loyalty or ignorance really that strong, or am I missing something? - Adam Lasnik

@adam: "Please note that AmazonMP3.com is currently only available to US customers." is reason #1 - Andrew F

I currently use Amazon to get my music and don't use itunes at all. My main reason was DRM free. Does Amazon have all the major labels now? I know it launched with EMI and Universal, have the other two gotten on board with amazon yet? That would be another reason if not. - Evan Parker

AndrewF, mea culpa. I've just committed one of the sins that truly annoys me when I see it from other people. The world is bigger than the U.S. of A, even online :P. But with that said, please mentally re-edit my post above and replace "...I don't get why people..." with "I don't get why people living in countries with access to alternatives such as Amazon.com and lala..." - Adam Lasnik

Looks like amazon may have raised prices as well: http://news.cnet.com/8301-13.... - Evan Parker

Well, whaddya know. Looks like lala their raised prices, too. Wouldn't the labels in this context be seen as an (unlawful) cartel, when they're essentially forcing all who carry their goods to raise their prices? <sigh> - Adam Lasnik