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Apple Shuts Out RealNetworks' Songs From Playback on iPods

Authored by Mark Hefflinger on December 17, 2004 - 10:43am.
Cupertino, Calif. -- Apple has made changes to the firmware installed on its iPod digital music players to make them incompatible with songs purchased from rival RealNetworks' Rhapsody online music service. The move trumps Real's release of software called Harmony, which it said reverse-engineered Apple's FairPlay digital rights management scheme so that its songs could play on iPods -- causing Apple to claim it was "stunned" that its technology had been "hacked." Apple also said it would examine a legal case against Seattle-based RealNetworks over Harmony, but has so far not taken any action. RealNetworks spokesman Matt Graves told MacCentral the company is working to restore compatibility between Harmony and the iPod.
tags: Music | Apple | RealNetworks | Playback on iPods |