Microsoft has launched a new mobile DRM system called “PlayReady” (as if its PlaysForSure DRM/interoperability system was a great success) that will allow users to use commercial content on multiple different mobile devices for a single fee.
PlayReady is based on a system of virtual environments called Domains: Users can register multiple devices within their Domain. If a mobile operator, ISP or broadcaster has registered with PlayReady, the user can purchase their content through the system, and then transfer it to other Domain-registered devices. Alternatively, a user could download the content multiple times to each device.
PlayReady is not integrated with Windows Mobile 6, launched today at 3GSM, and is platform agnostic (so technically will work on the Symbian platform, a rival, as well).
The company stressed that PlayReady was a “foundation technology”, which might not be a mainstream feature for some time. It has already attracted some industry support, with Verizon, Telefonica and O2 all signing up as partners.
More details in the release here.