The Ten Year DRM Saga Is, at Last, Over ⇥ bloomberg.com

Robert Burnson and Karen Gullo, Bloomberg:

Apple Inc. prevailed in a potential $1 billion lawsuit by iPod customers who claimed restrictions in the iTunes library were meant to kill competition, as a jury handed the company a decisive victory after only three hours of deliberations.

Firmware and software updates in iTunes 7.0, which were contained in the iPod models at issue, were genuine product improvements, the jury in Oakland, California federal court said. That finding meant the company couldn’t be held liable for thwarting competition even if the tweaks hurt rivals.

A decade of combined lawsuits and general nuttiness ended in just three hours. Finally.