All Songs in iTunes Music Store to be DRM Free

That is an interesting spin on it. My impression though has been that it was Apple holding things up - specifically over the pricing arrangement (not sure if Apple ever cared about the DRM, although I imagine they did since it locked the music to their player which is where they make their money, and yes I know what Steve said, but quite frankly the actions did not match the words).

The labels have been playing hard ball with Apple for a while now by allowing many other sources to sell DRM free music (Wal-mart, Amazon, Napster, gBox, etc). Music they sold at varying price points. Meanwhile Apple was stuck selling either DRM'd music or DRM free music at a higher price. I think Apple figured out they were losing this battle and that it could become a problem from their money maker - selling iPods, so they caved and gave the labels what they wanted.

Apple never wanted the DRM.

Personally, I've never believed that particular line from Apple.  The fact is DRM served Apple's purposes (selling iPods) as much as it served the music industries.  All reports seem to agree that Apple actually makes very little profit off of iTunes and that the real profit center is selling iPods.  DRM protected that profit center by making sure that when someone broke or lost their iPod they wouldn't even think of buying a different player because that meant they would lose their music.

If Apple was as anti-DRM as they claimed they would have licensed FairPlay so that practically any player could play their music - of course though this doesn't help them sell iPods.  Now I know they claim they couldn't do this because they couldn't control who has access and pirates could get it and break.  The problem with that argument is that pirates broke it anyway (not to mention the easy burn to CD/rip it hole).

In my opinion I think this is a case of Apple losing the battle to win the war (or at least maintain an advantage).  The single price point was an iPod selling point for the iPod.  However times have changed and DRM has become a liability on the verge of threatening Apple's ability to sell iPods (ie consumers are becoming aware that iTunes limits them and there are other options out there).  Since Amazon and company market share is growing the single price point is at best no longer a selling point, at worst another negative.  So, Apple has sacrificed it and gotten rid of DRM thus protecting reputation and their ability to sell iPods.

Oooooh! Conspiracy Theories! Oooooh!