Apple’s successful music download service iTunes faces a new threat of misuse now that it has been extended to include users of Microsoft’s Windows operating system, say experts.
The threat comes from the combination of the relatively light copy protection iTunes uses and the big increase of potential hackers that comes with opening up to the world’s most common operating system.
The paid-for download service was the first to lure music fans away from free file-sharing music networks. Since launching in April 2003, Apple says more than 13 million songs have been downloaded.
Observers believe this is partly due to price – songs can be downloaded for 99 cents without paying a subscription fee. But a crucial factor is that iTunes imposes fewer technical restrictions on what listeners can do with the music files than other paid-for offerings. The files can be copied to compact disc or the iPod music player, and they are encoded in a format that allows them to be played on three registered computers.
“One of the challenges iTunes face is that it’s sort of a ‘light’ copy protection,” says Joshua Duhl, director of rich media with analyst firm IDC. “Somebody’s going to try to hack it.”
“Opening it up to Windows, while a good business idea, is bound to bring it into the sights of a lot more people,” adds Adam Langley, a UK programmer specialising in peer-to-peer networking.
