Dear iTMS

To Whom It May Concern at Apple’s iTunes Music Store (iTMS):

I just saw that the new Telefon Tel Aviv album was added to the iTMS thanks to the custom RSS feed generator you were kind enough to make available. That’s a great example of Apple reaching out and using emerging technologies to their fullest to satisfy customers who, in turn, show their appreciation for that extra effort with their consumer dollars. Thanks.

Obviously, I would like to purchase this album. But I would also like to do with it exactly what Apple once encouraged me to: “rip, mix, burn,” and namely mix. I use Traktor DJ Studio to mix, an application that Apple has featured in many OS X promotions. Traktor, however, does not support the AAC audio format that tracks from the iTMS are delivered in.

There seems to be a schism between Apple’s longstanding role as a provider of creative tools (or, if you prefer, tools for creatives) and the protective locks on iTMS content that ensure its strict use as consumer media. Given the commitment in iTMS infrastructure to the AAC format it seems unlikely that Apple will abandon it, despite the recent cracking of its Digital Rights Management protections. In lieu of such a move, it would at least seek to mend this schism for Apple to work closely with third party developers to ensure that Apple-endorsed protected formats like AAC are not hindrances to creative use.

In the meantime, Apple and the record label and artists it represents through the iTMS will not see my dollars for the Telefon Tel Aviv release, and in turn listeners to my radio show will not hear material from the release in a mix.

Hoping for a remedy,
Alexander Payne