QuickTime 7.5.7 fixes (some) HDCP issues

Apple released today a QuickTime update specifically for owners of new MacBook/Pro/Air laptops — those with HDCP-enabled DisplayPort that prevented them from playing all sorts of iTunes Store videos on an external display.

The weird part is, they apparently only removed HDCP from standard-definition videos (which was an obvious bug, as the “HD” in HDCP stands for high-def — oh, wait, actually it doesn’t, but it might as well if the committees hadn’t tried to muddy up the acronym), so they’re basically confirming that it is supposed to be active for HD videos — thereby punishing early adopters of the brand-new laptops.

I guess it couldn’t be avoided, Apple had to use HDCP at some point to satisfy their iTunes Store partners, but wouldn’t it have been safer to wait until DisplayPort had been adopted on every computer for a couple years before actually pulling the switch? I know I shouldn’t complain that they aren’t being more deceitful, but it’s just strange; are the studios breathing that hard down their neck that they couldn’t wait?