Superdistribution is an approach to distributing digital products such as software, videos, and recorded music in which the products are made publicly available and distributed in encrypted form instead of being sold in retail outlets or online shop

Online shop

Online shopping is the process whereby consumers directly buy goods or services from a seller in real-time, without an intermediary service, over the Internet. It is a form of electronic commerce...

s. Such products can be passed freely among users on physical media, over the Internet or other networks, or using mobile technologies such as Bluetooth

Bluetooth

Bluetooth is a proprietary open wireless technology standard for exchanging data over short distances from fixed and mobile devices, creating personal area networks with high levels of security...

, IrDA

IRDA

IRDA may refer to:* Infrared Data Association, in information and communications technology , a standard for communication between devices over short distances using infrared signals...

 or MMS (Multimedia Messaging Service

Multimedia Messaging Service

Multimedia Messaging Service, or MMS, is a standard way to send messages that include multimedia content to and from mobile phones. It extends the core SMS capability that allowed exchange of text messages only up to 160 characters in length.The most popular use is to send photographs from...

).
Over 280 models of telephones support superdistribution based on OMA DRM

OMA DRM

OMA DRM is a Digital Rights Management system invented by the Open Mobile Alliance, whose members represent mobile phone manufacturers , mobile system manufacturers , mobile phone network operators OMA DRM is a Digital Rights Management (DRM) system invented by the Open Mobile Alliance, whose...

; companies such as Vodafone

Vodafone

Vodafone Group Plc is a global telecommunications company headquartered in London, United Kingdom. It is the world's largest mobile telecommunications company measured by revenues and the world's second-largest measured by subscribers , with around 341 million proportionate subscribers as of...

 and Deutsche Telekom

Deutsche Telekom

Deutsche Telekom AG is a telecommunications company headquartered in Bonn, Germany. It is the largest telecommunications company in Europe....

 have been exploring it.

Superdistribution allows and indeed encourages digital products
to be distributed freely in encrypted form, even as the product's owner retains control over the ability to use and modify the product.
Superdistribution is a highly efficient means of distribution because distribution is not impeded by any barriers and anyone can become a distributor.
A product made available through superdistribution may be free, in which case the user can use it immediately
and without restriction, or restricted by means of Digital Rights Management

Digital rights management

Digital rights management is a class of access control technologies that are used by hardware manufacturers, publishers, copyright holders and individuals with the intent to limit the use of digital content and devices after sale. DRM is any technology that inhibits uses of digital content that...

 (DRM). Restricted products generally require a license that the user must purchase either immediately or
after a trial period (in the case of so-called demoware).

Superdistribution was invented in 1983 by the Japanese engineer
Ryoichi Mori
and patented by him in 1990. Mori's prototype, which he called the Software
Service System (SSS), took the form of a
peer-to-peer-architecture with the following components:

• a cryptographic wrapper for digital products that cannot be removed and remains in place whenever the product is copied.
• a digital rights management system for tracking usage of the product and assuring that any usage of the product or access to its code conforms to the terms set by the product's owner.
• an arrangement for secure payments from the product's users to its owner.