Why is my DRM stream only working on real, physical devices?

There are two main types of DRM encryption and decryption models. Software and hardware-based.

Licensing, decryption, and decoding on software-based workflow occur in the “user-space“ of an OS, which is part of a device’s memory where applications are executed.

On the other hand, hardware-based DRM provides an enhanced protection level, as DRM licensing, content decryption, decoding, and even content displaying to the device screen occurs within the device chipset and a Trusted Execution Environment (TEE) where sensitive processes are executed securely.

Having said that, as virtual machines (VMs) or Mobile simulators (such as Apple’s XCode or Android software devices) run on top of the host hardware, software-based decryption had to be the to-go option for the DRM vendors (FairPlay, Microsoft PlayReady, or Widevine). Nevertheless, the vendors themselves have chosen to not provide DRM support on the above software devices as it opens the door for reverse engineering.