DRM demise clears way for home audio innovation

So-called "whole-home" audio systems that allow users to rock out to their music in multiple rooms via remote controllers have, so far, not quite caught on with the public. While a variety of options have existed for some time between the high end, like Sonos, and the low end, like the Roku SoundBridge or even Apple's AirPort Express, a new study claims that 2009 may be the year that whole-home systems get their groove on.

Forrester's study, called "How Whole-Home Audio Products Can Find Their Rhythm," argues that two primary barriers to entry for these systems are finally at their tipping points now: networked homes and DRM. According to the report, 28 percent of US homes are now networked properly to provide the bandwidth required to push audio all over the house. Further, Apple's announcement in January that it is finally removing all DRM technology from iTunes Store music purchases means that the most popular music store in the US is finally selling the same clean MP3s as its many competitors. Compiled alongside other factors in a new "Convenience Quotient" methodology, Forrester believes networked homes and the freedom provided by music DRM's demise allows manufacturers to shift their battle to the most important factor for new product adoption: convenience.