RealNetworks Seeks Musical Alliance With Apple

RealNetworks, which has in the past berated Apple for not being more “inclusive” with iPod and its music service, is now talking about making a “tactical alliance” with Apple. This was suggested by Rob Glaser, in an e-mail to Steve Jobs, obtained by NYT.

But if an alliance with Apple could not be struck, Glaser strongly hinted in the e-mail message that he might be forced to form a partnership with Microsoft to pursue “very interesting opportunities” because support for Microsoft’s media-playing software seems to be growing.

Glaser wants Apple to license its Fairplay DRM to Real, to permit customers of the RealNetworks music service to play their digital music collections on iPod players. In exchange, Real would make the iPod its primary device for the RealNetworks store and for the RealPlayer software.

Related:

Real’s Glaser Exhorts Apple to Open iPod

Apple Shouldn’t Sing Solo

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