Apple drops DRM copy protection from millions of iTunes songs.

(From Guardian Unlimited)

The millions of songs available for download from Apple will no longer be tied only to iPods and customers will be able to transfer their tracks freely.

Apple today announced that its entire iTunes music catalogue will soon be available without any copy protection, after agreeing a new deal with the world's major record labels.

The move means customers will soon be able to buy songs via iTunes -- the world's dominant digital music retailer -- without being locked into using an iPod.

Music fans will be able to buy tracks without digital rights management (DRM) from iTunes and easily transfer them between computers, many different brands of music player or even onto their mobile phones.

Later this year, Apple said, the company will add a further 8m …