Are purchased songs exclusively for Apple devices?

Question

This may sound like a simple question.
Are the songs purchased from iTunes only playable for Apple devices? Meaning we can sync all Apple devices we have and get the same songs?
Is there any way to convert the purchased songs to mp3 in order to transfer it to non-Apple device?
iTunes is user-friendly for me, but if the purchased songs aren't playable on non-Apple devices, I might need to find another sources. Any idea?

Answer 1

Yes you can convert tracks to MP3 version in iTunes.
1. Go into iTunes preferences
2. On the General Tab, click on Import Settings
3. Change the Import Using setting to be MP3 Encoder.
4. Click Ok and then Ok to close preferences.
5. Now select a track or tracks that you want to convert to MP3.
6. Then click on the Advanced Menu and select the Create MP3 Version.
This will create an MP3 version of the tracks you selected, it works fro content purchased from the iTunes Store, provided it is in iTunes Plus format (no DRM). Make sure your use of the converted tracks does not breach the Terms of Use you agreed to here :
http://www.apple.com/legal/itunes/us/terms.html#SERVICE
http://www.apple.com/legal/itunes/us/terms.html#SALE
Specifically:
10. Purchase or Rental of Apple Content
a. Products Requirements. You acknowledge that use of Products may require the use of other hardware and software products (e.g., the ability to make copies of Products on physical media and render performance of Products on authorized digital player devices), and that such hardware and software is your responsibility. Products may only be downloaded once; after being downloaded, they cannot be replaced if lost for any reason. Once a Product is purchased or rented (as applicable) and you receive the Product, it is your responsibility not to lose, destroy, or damage the Product, and Apple shall be without liability to you in the event of any loss, destruction, or damage.
b. Use of Products. You acknowledge that Products (other than the iTunes Plus Products) contain security technology that limits your usage of Products to the following applicable Usage Rules, and, whether or not Products are limited by security technology, you agree to use Products in compliance with the applicable Usage Rules.
Usage Rules
Your use of the Products is conditioned upon your prior acceptance of the terms of this Agreement.
(ii) You shall be authorized to use the Products only for personal, noncommercial use.
(iii) You shall be authorized to use the Products on five Apple-authorized devices at any time, except in the case of Movie Rentals, as described below.
(iv) You shall be able to store Products from up to five different Accounts on certain devices, such as an iPad, iPod or iPhone, and Apple TV at a time; provided that each iPhone may sync ring tone Products with only a single Apple-authorized device at a time, and that syncing an iPhone with another Apple-authorized device will cause any ring tone Products stored on such iPhone to be erased and, if you so choose, to be replaced with any ring tone Products stored on such other Apple-authorized device. Additional restrictions apply to Movies Rentals, as described below.
(v) You shall be authorized to burn an audio playlist up to seven times.
(vi) You shall not be entitled to burn video Products or ring tone Products.
(vii) You shall be entitled to export, burn (if applicable) or copy (if applicable) Products solely for personal, noncommercial use.
(viii) You may use only ring tone Products as a musical “ringer” in connection with phone calls.
(ix) Any burning (if applicable) or exporting capabilities are solely an accommodation to you and shall not constitute a grant or waiver (or other limitation or implication) of any rights of the copyright owners in any audio or video content, sound recording, underlying musical composition, or artwork embodied in any Product.
(x) You agree that you will not attempt to, or encourage or assist any other person to, circumvent or modify any security technology or software that is part of the Service or used to administer the Usage Rules.
(xi) The delivery of Products does not transfer to you any commercial or promotional use rights in the Products.
(xii) iTunes Plus Products do not contain security technology that limits your usage of such Products, and Usage Rules (iii) – (vi) do not apply to iTunes Plus Products. You may copy, store and burn iTunes Plus Products as reasonably necessary for personal, noncommercial use.
(xiii) Usage rules for software Products are governed by the terms of any end-user agreements or other terms and conditions required for use of such Products.
(xiv) You shall be able to manually sync a Movie from at least one iTunes-authorized device to devices that have manual sync mode, provided that the Movie is associated with an Account on the primary iTunes-authorized device, where the primary iTunes-authorized device is the one that was first synced with the device, or the one that you subsequently designate as primary using iTunes.