Now that digital music leader Apple, Inc. (NASDAQ: AAPL) is selling non-protected digital songs from its iTunes Plus music store, is the iPod maker extraordinaire setting itself up to have more competition in the digital audio player (DAP) marketplace?

After all, the whole customer-friendly integration between the company's iPod and its iTunes music store is what kept customers coming back for more (and more). The iPod was the coolest DAP on the market (and still is from market share figures alone), and songs downloaded from iTunes could only be played on the iPod, just as Apple designed and intended, tech hacks aside.

But now that non-protected digital music files (in AAC format) can be downloaded from the iTunes music store at a more hefty $1.29 each, is Apple going to see its iPod market share slip since customers can now use any AAC-compatible DAP to listen to music from the iTunes Plus selection?

Remember that the still-protected iTunes music selections far outweigh the iTunes Plus non-protected music selections. I'm quite sure Apple will reign in the iTunes Plus selection to gauge customer response for at least a little while.