Redmond, Wash. - As a result of Microsoft shuttering its MSN Music store in favor of its Zune Marketplace, the company has told MSN Music customers that the licenses for the songs they purchased can be updated for the last time up until Aug. 31 -- after which time the songs cannot ever again be transferred from the devices on which they are currently stored, according to reports.

Microsoft announced in November that it would abandon its "PlaysForSure" digital rights management (DRM) system, which enabled songs purchased from a variety of stores that used the system to be played across a range of devices that also supported it.

The company's newer Zune digital media player also does not support PlaysForSure DRM.

Related Links:
http://snipurl.com/25i8t (Ars Technica)

http://blog.wired.com/monkeybites/2008/04/microsoft-kil-1.html