Apple releases iTunes 7.2, with iTunes Plus DRM-free music

Could this be the beginning of the end of DRM? I hope so….

iLounge:

“In advance of Apple CEO Steve Jobs’ appearance at the D: All Things Digital Conference tomorrow in Carlsbad, California, Apple has released iTunes 7.2,
an upgrade to its free digital media management software. Version 7.2
adds one feature—previously-announced support for the downloading of
DRM-free songs, now dubbed “iTunes Plus,” which as noted by Apple in
iTunes Help “have no usage restrictions and feature higher-quality
recording.” Initially spearheaded by the music label EMI, but also
backed by independent labels, the songs sell for $1.29 each and use
256Kbps AAC encoding for superior sound quality than standard iTunes
Store music downloads.

As of press time, iTunes Plus songs are not yet available for
download in the iTunes Store. However, according to Apple, “[t]he first
time you buy an iTunes Plus song, you specify whether to make all
future purchases iTunes Plus versions (when available). … If you
already have iTunes Store purchases that are now available as iTunes
Plus downloads, you may upgrade your existing purchases.” Both
features, and changes thereto, can be accessed through your account at
the iTunes Store.”