In a surprising open letter today, Apple CEO Steve Jobs posted a detailed essay explaining why Apple sells copy-protected music and more importantly, the benefits of removing the digital locks from purchased music. The revelation is particularly surprising since Apple's iTunes store currently dominates the digital download market and sells more than a billion DRM-protected songs a year.

Jobs explains that the only reason for DRM is to appease the big four music companies and Apple would embrace a DRM-free future "in a heartbeat." Apple even urges European countries to pressure the "two and a half" major labels headquartered in Europe (Universal/Vivendi, EMI and half of Sony BMG) to license their music to Apple and others without the digital locks that all major label's seem to require.

While many have publically questioned the value proposition of restricted music, no company as high profile as Apple have ever made statements like this against DRM.

You can check out the article here.