Earlier this week, BoingBoing pointed out an interesting article discussing the ethics of Apple’s business models that they are planning to use with the coming release of the iPhone. In addition to some of the points we briefly touched on last week, BoingBoing suggests that the strict DRM that the iPhone will carry is not a consolation forced on them by the music and cellular industries, but is actually a method of control from Apple, Inc.

“…although Apple claims it adds its DRM (which locks you into buying Apple products) at the behest of the music industry, [many] of the copyright holders whose work Apple sells in the music store have asked it to switch off the DRM. An Apple lawyer has gone on record saying that Apple would use DRM even if the music industry didn’t want it.

It’s ironic that a company whose name is synonymous with “Switch” has built its entire product strategy around lock-in. The iTunes/iPhone/iPod combo is a roach-motel: customers check in, but they can’t check out.”

link - BoingBoing.net