It’s looking like Apple has built copy protection into their new laptops, without bothering to tell prospective purchasers about it.
The currently Apple-faithful who have bought the new laptops, including the MacBook Pro and MacBook Air, are finding that if they try to play films – that they have legitimately rented through Apple iTunes Store – through a non-HDCP external screen or projector are begin met with a message “This movie cannot be played because a display that is not authorised to play protected movies is connected.”
Not surprisingly this has angered them a great deal – and quite rightly in our view.
Given how Apple go to a great of effort in launching their products to the world, we think it’s pretty disingenuous not to mention that the laptops that are being bought have High-bandwidth Digital Content Protection (HDCP) built into them.
HDCP and its impact
HDCP, created by Intel, keeps the content that is protected by it encrypted from source file up until it hits the eyeball – as predicted in the BBC programme “If… TV Goes Down The Tube – The Media 2016“.
The impact of this could be considerable, and generally unknown by the general public. Many of the people bought early ‘HD’ flat TVs and projectors may have to go and buy another one if they want to play HDCP-protected content at its full resolution.
Apple fan reactions – not positive
Not surprisingly Apple purchasers who are experiencing these problems aren’t happy bunnies with reactions on Apple’s own discussion boards ranging from “I certainly won’t be purchasing anything else from iTunes until this is fixed,” through “I would suggest that people don’t buy the shows and movies on iTunes – Apple should get the message that way!”, to others who suggest getting their money back.
Copied files aren’t protected
This back-handed approach of Apple to introduce this restriction as requested by the Studios is bound to further people’s desires to seek out copies of films, rather than pay for them.
If people can’t watch the movies that they’ve paid for, they’ll download versions that they can watch where ever they like.
Of course this freedom will eventually be removed over time.
via and top graphic.