iTunes Price Change, Apple Removes Copy Protection

: Image via CrunchBase

Apple announced an iTunes price change today, stating that songs on its popular music service will now cost between 69 cents and $1.29, and will also not be restricted by copy-protection.

Apple had previously charged $0.99 for most songs in their catalog, with copy-protection software automatically attached. The iTunes price change will take place in April, when all song prices adjust to $0.69, $0.99 or $1.29.

By that time, Apple expects to have removed the copy-protection software from all its digital music. There are already around 8 million unrestricted songs available right now.

The announcement was made at today's Macworld conference in San Francisco. It was probably a compromise between Apple and the music industry. Music companies have been nudging Apple toward varied pricing. Apple also faced competition from Amazon, which began selling unrestricted music in 2007.

The announcement was not made by Apple CEO Steve Jobs, who wowed crowds at previous Macworlds by unveiling new products such as the iPhone, Mac Mini and MacBook Air. Jobs, who said this week that he has a hormone imbalance that is affecting his health, was replaced by Apple senior vice president Phil Schiller.

In an Apple presentation that was rather dull, Schiller unveiled a Macbook Pro 17-inch laptop that costs $2,799, aimed at Apple's higher-end clients. It features a 17-inch display and a long-lasting battery that can run for up to eight hours.

Schiller also showed off photos of new Apple Stores in China, Australia and Germany, and said that 3.4 million people visit Apple stores every week. "That's (the equivalent of) 100 Macworlds," he said. Apple previously announced plans to pull out of the trade show next year.

Schiller spent much of his 90 minute presentation on the revamped iLife photo, video, and music software suite, which sells for $79. The highlight is an upgrade to Garage Band, a music tool that lets users create their own songs. Apple has added video lessons to teach people how to play guitar and piano. Some feature celebrity instructors such as Sting, John Fogerty, Sarah McLachlan and Norah Jones and cost $4.99 each.

Apple's digital photo management and editing program, iPhoto, has been upgraded with tools to automatically detect faces. Users set the tool up by tagging images of friends when they are added to the library. Google introduced similar technology to its Picasa photo program in 2008.

Apple's iMovie was changed drastically in '07 to a much more simplified version that was so different, "the only thing that remained the same was the name," Schiller said. Some advanced tools that were taken away have been restored in the current edition, which will be available later this month. Additional features let video editors tweak audio tracks and make precision edits. iMovie also offers animated maps for travel videos.

A new version of the iWork productivity suite, which includes software for word processing, spreadsheets and presentations, sells for $79, or $49 with a new Macs. Apple is also introducing iwork.com, a service similar to Google Docs that lets people share digital documents with friends and co-workers online. The service is free for now, but Apple plans to eventually charge for it.

Apple shares fell less than 1% to $93.93 in mid-day trading on the news.