Sony has always had a love for specific formats, particularly ones cooked up by its developers. Can we say Betamax? Now it looks like another Sony-backed format is taking a long ride into the sunset and it will certainly be of no loss to most techies.
Sony, in unveiling a bunch of new digital Walkmans today which can play video files, mentioned it was time to bury its long hated ATRAC format in favor of a more "open digital music environment." While this may get open source fans buzzing don't quite party yet - Sony is only moving its players over to support the Windows Media Audio (WMA) format, including the DRM darling known as PlaysForSure.
Why is Sony killing ATRAC you ask? Part of it involves history in which Sony forced its digital Walkman users for too long to only be able to listen to ATRAC songs on the players. Apple came along and users found in the iPod a device which could support the widely used MP3 format in addition to its AAC format. That was obviously a bad move on Sony's part and it did eventually correct the problem, though it was by that point far too late.
Sony did not comment directly on this movement in its press release, instead letting a Microsoft director explain the rationale in this fashion:
"With this initiative, Sony is debuting an important option for digital media players as it opens new doors for a rich digital experience,” said Dave Wascha, director of Windows Client Product Management at Microsoft Corp. “I believe consumers will be pleased that the new Walkman products carry the Certified for Windows logo and that they will take advantage of the new technologies available in this Windows platform. Those who purchase this Walkman player can rest easy knowing that the product has met explicit standards of reliability and quality."
Sony players going forward will work with the latest version of Windows Media Player for music file management. Sony also said it will be phasing out its CONNECT Music Store in coming months. What's funny (or sad perhaps) here is the company is actually advising people worried about their DRM-ATRAC collections to "burn it to audio CD and re-rip it into MP3 format to continue enjoying it for personal use."
It's a sign of the ever changing times of the digital revolution to see Sony sunk to this level. Once the mighty force of the portable entertainment market beaten down by a computer company on the hardware side, now providing integration with some of its products to the iPod. Also forced to move to Microsoft's side in choosing to throw in with the WMA format. I'm sure many in the company's Japan headquarters are hanging their heads low in defeat today.