DECE UltraViolet Cross-Platform DRM "Digital Locker" Unveiled; Apple Conspicuously Absent

The DECE (Digital Entertainment Content Ecosystem) has announced its plans for cross-platform DRM that would allow digital content like movies to be stored in the cloud and then played on whichever hardware supports the system, without providers having to worry about copyright theft.  Dubbed UltraViolet, the technology has been backed by Warner Brothers, Sony, Microsoft and Netflix; however there are notable exceptions, including Apple and Disney.

UltraViolet locks content not to individual devices or platforms, but to the user; that way, you should be able to access content – which will initially include TV episodes and movies, but should eventually spread to support music – on any UltraViolet compliant device, whether it be a PMP, a PC or a set-top box.  When new content is bought, the retail account is linked to their UltraViolet account and the rights to view it will be spread to any registered hardware.

It's not just digital content, either; UltraViolet promises to give access to digital versions of movies that you've bought on DVD or Blu-ray – that way, you could access a streaming version while you're staying away from home, rather than have to carry the physical media with you or rip it yourself.  The DECE promise we'll start seeing the first UltraViolet logos show up on hardware later in 2010.

[via Huffington Post]