Adding a basic DRM to coffee pods would be trivial for Keurig to implement. There is no need for RFID on each pod. That would be a waste of money in my opinion.<p>They can simply print a unique QR code on the bottom of each pod, and the Keurig machine could read it with a cheap webcam. The content of the data would be an encrypted message, signed with Keurig's secret key. They sign one unique message for each pod. The machine can remember all the messages it has seen, and refuse to brew any duplicates.<p>Granted, this isn't impossible to circumvent. The secret key could get leaked, but at least thats a known vulnerability. There is one more obvious weakness: every code can be used once on each machine, and not just the one that brewed the authentic code. IE, if a counterfeit outfit buys one thousand real pods, they could then distribute up to 1k pods to each customer which would act as authentic. Fortunately, this is a pain that will probably slow the production of fake pods and persuade customers to buy authentic ones.<p>This is the only sort of DRM that I would actually be OK with in this instance. It's not really a waste of money, and if the DRM-reading system works reliably, it has no negative impact on the user experience.
My spidey sense tells me that this isn't "DRM". In other words, it's "rights management", but it's not digital. If you follow the link chain back to the original report, it just says that the new machine "won't work with unlicensed pods."<p>All that would be required is a patented physical feature that can't easily be worked around. After all, they probably don't care about someone 3D printing a compatible reusable pod at home. Rather, they want a cut of any mass-market pods that work with their machine.<p>Apple, for instance, has effectively prevented anyone from making MagSafe-compatible chargers without using any sort of DRM. They simply threaten to sue anyone who makes a compatible charger for patent infringement. I don't see why this would be different.
In a way, it's good that things like this happen. Makes it much easier to convince gullible laypeople that the Imaginary Property laws they are brainwashed to believe to be universally good for the society are, in fact, directly contradictory to the actual tangible property and ownership laws and common sense, bearing more hope for the DMCA anti-circumvention clause to eventually get overturned.<p>Sigh... I am being too optimistic... I know.
Now that their patent expired they want to have DRM, luckily for the world people can just manufacture their current gen device and sell it for the current gen cups.
Incorporate encrypted brewing instructions (e.g., number of seconds to inject water) on the container. Circumventing these becomes a copy protection issue, subject to the DMCA and so forth. It's functional, and getting it wrong means mucking up the coffee.
This is so sad. Really? I know there's market for the non original coffee, but Is already non-trivial to find a decent taste, that is compatible and is cheaper than the original. Do they really need this stuff?? How much is going to cost? Because, honestly, sooner or later brewing it will become convenient again.<p>TLDR: Buying nespresso feels like buying cigarettes, isn't that enough?
Doesn't Tassimo already do this with their TDiscs?<p><a href="https://www.tassimo.co.uk/Help/TASSIMOTips/KnowAboutTDiscs/Use" rel="nofollow">https://www.tassimo.co.uk/Help/TASSIMOTips/KnowAboutTDiscs/U...</a>
Print an 'illegal number' on the top in the form of a barcode and include a scanner in every machine, copywriting the number and taking legal action against anyone who uses it without license. It's trivial to break on your own but very difficult for a proper business to break legally.
The most cost-effective way to stop consumers from loading alternative pods on their machines is to stop selling the machines machines altogether. In the long run it will have the same effect.