Microsoft introduces Playready

CHARLIE DEMERJIAN WILL NOT be pleased. Yesterday Microsoft announced plans to introduce another digital rights management system, dubbed 'Playready'.

Playready is the third unique implementation of DRM from Microsoft, following the protection afforded by Windows Media DRM and the proprietary system within the Zune framework.

This new scheme is intended for Windows Mobile devices, mobile phones and similar handheld products, and extends playback options further than existing DRM implementations - in addition to permanent copies and subscriptions, files can be flagged as rental, pay-per-view or be based on 'super-distribution'.

Playready is apparently file-format independent meaning it can be applied to multiple file-types including wallpaper, images, ring tones, and documents.

Audio and video formats supported include Windows Media Audio (WMA), AAC/AAC+/HE-AAC, Windows Media Video (WMV), and H.264. The Playready system is has been designed to be fully backward compatible with Windows Media DRM 10, allowing Playready devices to play content offered by the legacy DRM implementation.

Mobile operators worldwide have already announced support including Telefónica, O2, Verizon Wireless, Bouygues Telecom, and Cingular Wireless, albeit no specific plans were specified at the Playready announcement at the 3GSM show in Barcelona.

The move is widely seen as a concession to Microsoft's plans for the proprietary DRM used within the Zune player and store, and its abandoning of the Playsforsure specification - this DRM standard should at least allow more interoperability between different devices and formats, although most of them will probably be running Microsoft Mobile software.

If you'd like to know more, read the Microsoft press-release here. µ

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