Yup, I actually addressed that above. The DRM is tangential to battery life.
The video will have DRM. That's not up for debate.
What's up for debate is whether you need a plugin (which runs in a sandbox) or you can decode using code closer to the metal (browser native).
To be able to play these videos natively in the browser without sandboxed plugin code, you need to still have DRM. Whether you like it or not, this is what the studios want.
The better battery life comes from begin able to decode the video in hardware, because you aren't using a plugin anymore. And you aren't using a plugin anymore because you natively support the DRM.
Unfortunately, right now it's completely lopsided. The studios have somehow arranged things in a way that they have full leverage over tech companies.
The music companies couldn't accomplish this. Maybe the studios closely watched and learned from the "failures" of the music industry.
One example of how DRM will hurt the consumer is what I hear about DVDs starting with unskippable ads. The studios have shown nothing but contempt for customers. Don't think I'm advocating for DRM by being excited about this news.
But seriously, in this case, I've just never heard anyone complain about DRM with Netflix or be hampered by it. I don't see how this is anything but a win-win for consumers without adversely affecting the content-watching experience.
The video will have DRM. That's not up for debate.
What's up for debate is whether you need a plugin (which runs in a sandbox) or you can decode using code closer to the metal (browser native).
To be able to play these videos natively in the browser without sandboxed plugin code, you need to still have DRM. Whether you like it or not, this is what the studios want.
The better battery life comes from begin able to decode the video in hardware, because you aren't using a plugin anymore. And you aren't using a plugin anymore because you natively support the DRM.