Besides removing anti-piracy software, more importanly, Apple has finally caved in and will embrace 3 tier pricing.

Apple finally bowed to a long-standing recording industry demand and agreed to sell music downloads at three prices — 69 cents, 99 cents and $1.29. Starting in April, iTunes customers may pay the top price for a hot new track such as Beyonce’s “Single Ladies” and barely half that for a long-forgotten song from Air Supply. (Los Angeles Times)

Tiered pricing can open the door to more experimentation and digital bundles.

For example, Kanye West’s single “Heartless” might be packaged with a discounted track from the “808s & Heartbreak” album, or a cellphone ring tone.

We will observe significant changes in 2009. With Apple beginning to sell DRM free songs and embracing tiered pricing are steps in the right direction. As the Los Angeles Times said, “Apple will follow one of the oldest tenets of capitalism: The more someone wants something, the more you can charge for it.”