The Register takes a look at the upcoming CD copy-protection move by Macrovision dubbed CDS-300. Macrovision feels comfortable enough to send notes to its shareholders that it will be able to offer previously rumored iPod compatibility via FairPlay DRM, which is currently used in the Protected AAC (m4p) formats used by the iTunes Music Store. The note to shareholders included the passage: "support for iPod and iTunes... will be made available in a Q4 update [enabled] via FairPlay."
Macrovision called on Apple to license FairPlay earlier this year. It wants the technology to allow it to provide iTunes-ready compressed audio tracks alongside the Windows Media Audio files its CDS-300 copy protection mechanism already offers. Inclusion of the FairPlay tracks means that iTunes users will be able to participate fully with Macrovision's protected CD formats.
