iTunes DRM free, what about already downloaded?

When Apple announced that itunes was going to DRM free a few days ago, the crowded were all cheerful at this news. It means if you pay for the music in itunes, you can copy them to any other computer, or put them on competing devices at will.

It may be a really good news for new buyers. But what about customers with tracks already bought?

As for it, Apple says that customers can choose to update them to DRM free too. You can start by going to the home page of iTunes Music Store, and clicking on the button of “Upgrade My Library” under the Quick Links heading. It is a simple way, however, it'll cost you. itunes charges 30 cents per song, 30 percent of the current album price for complete albums, and 60 cents for music videos. After you press the button, itunes will figure out the cost for you automatically.

There are some problems you may meet in you updating process, especially when you've already got a sizeable catalogue.

First, the upgrade is the “all-or-nothing” approach. It means that you have no right to choose which songs to upgrade. If you just want to update some of you tracks in you library, it is impossible to do that. You can only choose to update all the songs to DRM-free in your itunes library, or just let them stay as original state. It was rather annoying.For example, I’ve been a itunes user for several years, and there are many songs that I was fond of long before ,however, I don’t want to listen to them any more. So, why do I have to pay and update these stupid songs? I have more than 500 tracks in my itunes library, and I’m counting the money if I choose to update all of them!

Also, I’ve bought songs from protected albums which are DRM-free at the moment. When I want to complete the album, I just couldn’t unless I upgrade those tracks first. And I still have to update all of them, whether I want them now or not.

Besides, there is no information about the videos and movies in itunes. I’m wondering whether there will be DRM protection with them in future any more.

So, it seems that the whole upgrading isn’t a easy thing. I’ve been confused by them for a long time.

Luckily,I came acorss good tutorial through google search, so I can get rid of DRM jin a economical way. It was really a cute thing.

I’ll just wait and upgrade my music myself until Apple carry out more actions.