Helsinki (Finland) - Nokia announced today that it has formed a partnership with Microsoft to add additional copy protection safeguards to mobile entertainment content.

The two companies hope the new partnership will bring a more secure, streamlined process to downloading and accessing music and video from a mobile phone.

Microsoft's PlayReady DRM technology will come to Nokia's Series 60 phones, its flagship line of smartphones.  With Nokia's dominating market share and the licensing of its operating system to other handsets, the S60 platform is the most widely used mobile OS.

The deal will also include Nokia's lower tier Series 40 phones.  The cell phone giant said it plans to begin shipping handsets with PlayReady technology next year.

PlayReady is a new technology from Microsoft, with backward compatibility supporting Windows Media DRM 10.  Its partnership with Nokia helps Microsoft hedge its own stake in the mobile space with its proprietary Windows Mobile platform, a direct competitor of Nokia's operating system.

The news comes as speculation continues to build for a possible entry from Nokia into the digital music market.  Analysts have been predicting for several months that the handset maker would create its own store as a mobile competitor to Apple's iTunes service.

Research firm Informa suggests that mobile entertainment downloads and services will grow to become a $38 billion industry by 2011.  In 2006, the group estimated that associated revenues totaled around $18.8 billion.

Competitors Co-Operating?

Aug 06, 2007 10:04     

It sounds like Microsofts way of eventually getting rid of Nokia's operating system.
TomLeeM/BigWarpGuy report abuse vote down vote up Votes: +0

hummmm

Aug 06, 2007 12:24     

I wonder if I will be able to hear music I pay for? I got burned before with iTunes. (can't play acc on a mp3 player). Or trying to play DRM video in Media Player (only plays if the key is found on a web-site that works) DRM is already too secure. I alreay gave-up and I just buy the CDs.
enewmen report abuse vote down vote up Votes: +0

Would you trust Microsoft DRM?

Aug 06, 2007 12:34     

Let's see Microsoft's track record. PlaysForSure - a technology that supposedly works on all devices that run Microsoft DRM. Would have been good except Zune doesn't support it. So, would you trust your money to the "new" Microsoft DRM called PlayReady? How about the one released next year called PlayMaybe or how about You'llPayForSure?
IdBuyThatForADollar report abuse vote down vote up Votes: +0

Pays4sure...Nokia will Lose4Sure.....

Aug 06, 2007 14:56     

I agree with the above. M$ changes their mind every day. First, we like DRM, then Apple is losing DRM, so we should too. Now, DRM is good again. I dont think M$ wants to create competition with Zune MarketPlace. Nokia will lose4sure.....
Mike report abuse vote down vote up Votes: +0