Apple Computer Inc. has update the software for some of its iPod euphony players so that songs bought from RealNetworks Inc. wo n’t encounter . RealNetworks says they ’re not certain why it ’s happened , but they ’re work on a fix . Apple suggests that it ’s what to await if you utilize music that is n’t officially supported on the iPod .
The RealNetworks Music Store vie directly with Apple ’s iTunes Music Store , but RealNetworks suffers a disadvantage : RealNetworks does n’t have its own music actor , as Apple does with its market place - dominating iPod . Although the iPod plump for different music formats , the only protected format it works with is the music sell through the iTunes Music Store .
In July , RealNetworks announced a solution : Harmony , technology that get protected euphony download through its store recreate back on the iPod — or any other digital medicine player . Apple responded by accuse RealNetworks of using “ the tactics and ethics of a hacker to break into the iPod , ” and said it would investigate possible sound action against RealNetworks .
Apple does n’t deny that the late iPod software update deactivate some players ’ ability to act Harmony - enhanced song . But the company also offered no account for why it bechance or even if the software program update was aimed specifically at RealNetworks ’ customers .
“ As we stated in July , we strongly caution Real and their customer that when we update our iPod software from time to meter it is highly likely that Real ’s Harmony engineering will cease to work with current and future iPods , ” an Apple spokeswoman said Wednesday . She declined to point out further .
RealNetworks offer its own explanation .
“ Apple has made some changes to FairPlay , ” said RealNetworks Inc. spokesman Matt Graves . FairPlay is the Digital Rights Management ( DRM ) technology Apple use to protect music sold through the iTunes Music Store . It ’s the iPod ’s financial backing of FairPlay that enable it to play iTunes Music Store songs .
“ It ’s not clear that they ’ve done that specifically to develop Harmony or just as a by - intersection , ” Graves said .
Graves told MacCentral that his ship’s company was working on a alteration to Harmony that would restore compatibility with affected iPods . He was n’t able to provide a metre frame for when the fixture would be released , however . “ Any time there are changes made to FairPlay we have to evaluate it to see how Harmony works with it , ” said Graves .
Joris Evers contributed to this report .
