Despite my RSVP, as I’m not (yet?) in Vegas for CES, I’ll be missing out on the Digital Entertainment Content Ecosysetm (DECE) update tonight. However, we now know the studio-backed DRM scheme, dubbed UltraViolet and reminiscent of Microsoft’s PlaysForSure, is set to launch later this year via “a host of interoperable products and services” and the consortium has grown to 60 members strong.
As I wrote in 2008, many consumers are rightfully skeptical that an industry backed initiative might actually benefit us given a history of unfavorable content licensing/duplication. But this looks like it could be a reasonable solution, possibly even moreso than Apple’s — by authorizing 6 users and 12 devices per account.
UltraViolet will allow consumers to purchase digital content and watch it wherever, whenever. Consumers who purchase UltraViolet entertainment will have an easy and consistent way to watch film and television content across multiple branded platforms, such as computers, connected TVs, game consoles, smartphones and tablets. The UltraViolet name and logo will help identify content, devices and services from a spectrum of familiar entities – including studios, retailers, consumer electronics manufacturers, cable companies, ISPs and other service providers – that will work together.