On DRM, Battery Life, and the iPhone

Did you know that DRM music files take more power to play than non-DRM music files? Approximately 8%! With the new iPhone coming out, I thought I would remind you that the move by EMI couldn’t have been at a better time. Hopefully, in the coming year, more DRM free labels will arise, making all of our iPods work an extra 8% longer. 🙂

For those of you holding out for a Zune phone, think about this: encrypted WMV files eat up 25% more battery life. Seeing as the Zune is already a brick compared to the iPod, it will sure be annoying trying to match Apple ounce for ounce while still living up to battery expectations.

The iPhone has been officially released now, and I can’t help but be amazed at the fact that people actually stood in line to get a phone. No other phone – be it the RAZR, Blackberry Pearl, or Chocolate – has ever had people lining up to get them. If I planned on getting an iPhone (which I would, if I didn’t have this company phone that uses T-Mobile), I would be in line out there too — and I own no Apple products. Yep, I gave away my iPod because I stopped using it when I decided having a phone, wallet, and iPod in my pocket sucked. 

And it’s not like Motorola, RIM, or LG have never released popular phones before: they each have a long history of phones that nobody has ever stood in line overnight to buy. They’ve had just as much time as Apple to build a fan base. Explain that.

If the RAZR can sell like hot cakes, why can’t the iPhone sell twice as well since it will have the combined marketing push of Apple and AT&T? 1% of the global handset market: that’s what Jobs wanted. I think that’s a low goal he announced so that in a year he can announce he blew through it. We’ll see, I guess.

Meanwhile, I need to find me a friend that bought one of those things… Or I could stop by an Apple store; they have them on display.