Apple's FairPlay Streaming (FPS) is a DRM (Digital Right Management) technology used to securely deliver streaming media content to devices. It works with the HTTP Live Streaming (HLS) protocol. Here are some key points about FPS:
- FPS allows content providers to encrypt content, securely exchange keys, and protect playback on iOS, iPadOS, tvOS, and macOS.
- It securely delivers keys to Apple mobile devices, Apple TV, and Safari on macOS, enabling playback of encrypted video content.
- FPS allows mobile devices and Apple TV to stop playback based on expiration information sent with the content key.
- FPS supports content key expiration for movie rental on iOS devices and Apple TV.
- A constant FPS device identifier is sent to the server in a server playback context (SPC) message, allowing the server to anonymously identify the device.
- The content provider encrypts the
H.264video content on a per frame basis usingAES-CBCmode with the content key and the initialization vector. - FPS supports the
H.264video codec andAAC-LC,HE-AACV1-2,AC-3, andEC-3audio codecs. - The key handling and the content decryption occur on the kernel of the Apple device.
- FPS supports persistence of the security material for offline playback.
- FPS supports AirPlay streaming to Apple TV.
The following image provides a high-level overview of how DRM works:
You can read more about FPS here.
