CoreMedia interview: Multimedia and DRM - Part 1

By Alun Williams

Posted on 21 Nov 2005 at 14:56

With digital downloads remaining a big issues and Sony's DRM implementation in particular making headlines for the wrong reason, we have a timely interview with Dr. Willms Buhse, director products & marketing for CoreMedia, a company specialising in DRM systems.

In part one of two, the topics of discussion are music, Vodafone Live! and Microsoft, with 3G and wider DRM issues to follow. We begin with the iTunes phone...

MUSIC

Online download services are a hot topic, and the role of mobile phones as music players is gaining attention, so let's start with a very topical question: What is your reaction to Motorola's first iTunes phones? A first step in the right direction or a wrong turning?

Proprietary systems like the Apple iPod all meet boundaries sooner or later. The reason is simple: when I buy music I want to play it not only on my PC but also on my mobile phone or my home entertainment system, and vice versa. With the Apple iTunes, digital music services have certainly become very popular and it is certainly a step towards interoperability since the usage is no longer limited to a single device.

But to allow consumers to play their music anywhere on phones from many different manufacturers - within the legal framework as defined by the content owner - the usage of open DRM standards as defined from the OMA is required.

The mobile phone itself was a first step into this market, but I believe, the deal between Apple and Motorola to limit it to only 100 songs was not in the consumer interest.

The obvious disadvantages to music on a mobile phone music centre concern battery life and storage capacity. How do you see these issues playing out over the next couple of years?

Regarding the new iPods I clearly see the advantages of flash based memory and I am very confident that we will see an improvement for the life of batteries as well. I do not see that these minor tech issues are limiting the mobility of consuming digital content in the mid-term.

Even if mobiles do become established as 'content centres' - i.e. people use music download services direct to their phone - phone models are constantly changing. Will this not provide a barrier against phones becoming a personal media centre?

CoreMedia DRM has the broadest reach of all DRM solutions. Setting the benchmark for interoperability and flexibility it works seamlessly with over 400 handsets on the world market and the number is steadily increasing.

VODAFONE

You have worked closely with Vodafone recently...

Vodafone, is currently implementing our system into the service delivery platform of its global 3G multimedia services, Vodafone live! With CoreMedia DRM, Vodafone can offer content providers such as music labels a secure platform for the mobile distribution of premium content to Vodafone live! customers.

The DRM was developed in close cooperation between Vodafone, CoreMedia and leading mobile phone manufacturers. We have developed a cost-efficient, secure and scalable DRM solution based on the OMA standards. In view of the fact that 400 different mobile phones are now equipped for OMA DRM, Vodafone has significantly improved the interoperability and user friendliness of Vodafone live! through the implementation of CoreMedia DRM. They are now fully prepared for the rapidly growing premium content business.

Vodafone's move is the biggest step ever taken by the mobile business to implement a DRM solution. Actually, with the Vodafone deal, being the largest DRM deal so far in history, CoreMedia is now on the forefront of DRM technology worldwide. We supply Vodafone's global networks - servicing over 250 million mobile users - with our OMA DRM-based solution.