digital music/video
02/14/2005, 7:05am, EST
Monday, February 14th
Apple, Sony sued over European anti-trust claims
A French consumer group has sued Apple and Sony, claiming that their online music sites violate European anti-trust legislation, according to The Register. Similar to a lawsuit that was filed in California in early January, Paris-based UFC-Que Choisir claims that Apple's iTunes Music Store and Sony's Connect service are anti-competitive because they only work with the companies' own music players. The report notes that the French government's anti-trust organization has already ruled in November 2004 that Apple has a right to maintain a proprietary link between its music store and the iPod, after an unsuccessful attempt by VirginMega to force Apple to license its FairPlay DRM technology--to allow any third-party device to play ITMS-downloaded songs.
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This lawsuit is just a side-effect of the illusion that digital rights management is anything but an illusion to satisfy the lawyers.
It only works on Windows and it will only work with a couple of proprietary players.
If you are an iPod owner who wants to buy music online, you can only buy through iTMS. That is absolutely anti-compeitive.
The telling moment was when Real released code that unlocked the iPod, enabling music purchased from a different source (Real's) to play on an iPod, and then Apple's immediate response.
I liken the whole situation to buying a car - an awesome car - but only being able to fill it up with BMW-brand gasoline that costs 20% more.
Argue on facts, moron.
I can buy a PC and use Windows or I can buy a Mac and use Mac OS X.
Where's the lack of competition? The only case for anti-competitive practices exists if you start splitting up the product into it's components.
Is anyone surprised that you can't put a GM transmission behind a Ford engine. Our Mercury is missing the badge on the trunk. I can't take the badge from the Nissan. It won't fit. Surely this is an anti-competitive practice on Mercury's part, deliberately designing their cars so competitors parts won't fit.
iTMS/iPod are one product just like Sony's player/online store combo. They are one product, one experience. PowerPC/Mac OS is one product too. Should Apple be forced to sell their computers sans OS? Should you have to pay for each iLife app separately (remember iTunes is an iLife app)? What about all the other apps that come on a new mac?
The courts have already ruled on this. This is just a case of a self appointed "consumer watchdog" seeking publicity.
Several online music stores sell music that plays just fine on an iPod so the above statement isn't true. Granted DRMed music stores will not play on iPod but of course they also don't play on the Mac since MS, etc. hasn't made the needed libraries available on Mac OS X.
I expect this court case to be thrown out shortly because it is drawing an arbitrary line between components of a product.