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European groups join Norway vs. iTunes

updated 06:35 pm EST, Mon January 22, 2007

France, Germany vs. iTunes


A Norwegian official today revealed that French and German consumer groups have joined several Scandinavian countries in their efforts to pressure Apple to open its iTunes Music Store, thereby enabling customers to purchase, download, and play tracks from iTunes on their non-Apple portable players. In June of 2006 consumer agencies in Denmark, Norway, and Sweden charged that Apple was violating contract and copyright laws in those countries, and provided Apple with a deadline to respond to those claims. Norwegian Consumer Ombudsman Bjoern Erik Thon said French consumer lobby UFC-Que Choisir and its German counterpart, Verbraucher, joined the movement late last year, according to the Associated Press, and that other European countries are considering joining effort. "This is important because Germany and France are European giants," said Thon. "Germany, in particular, is a big market for digital music."

An Apple spokesman today addressed the announcement: "Apple is aware of the concerns we've heard from several agencies in Europe and we're looking forward to resolving these issues as quickly as possible. Apple hopes that European governments will encourage a competitive environment that lets innovation thrive, protects intellectual property and allows consumers to decide which products are successful."


by MacNN Staff

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Comments

  1. McDave

    Fresh-Faced Recruit

    Joined: Jun 2006

    0

    So I guess there goes...

    ..iTS enhancement in Europe.

    Why don't people just buy the product or not. What's made iPod/iTS successful is 'how' it works & if you don't like 'how' it works - buy something else!

    McD

  1. t6hawk

    Mac Enthusiast

    Joined: Jan 2001

    0

    M$?

    Why aren't they going after M$ to make their format open as well?

  1. aristotles

    Grizzled Veteran

    Joined: Jul 2004

    0

    They should go after MS

    The main reason why Apple created the iPod and iTunes in the first place was because nobody was supporting mac users for online music services and players.

  1. LouZer

    Fresh-Faced Recruit

    Joined: Nov 2000

    0

    Re: m$

    Why aren't they going after M$ to make their format open as well?

    I don't know, maybe because Apple has 89% of the music market and, ergo, the one that most consumers have their 'issues' with.

    You know, sort of the same reason they went after microsoft with their OS and all.

    Man, Apple has a piddly OS market share and its all "Why don't they do something about the Microsoft and their huge monopoly!" Then, when its Apple with a monopoly, its "Why don't they leave poor Apple alone and go after MS with its piddly market share!

  1. cvbcvb

    Fresh-Faced Recruit

    Joined: Nov 2003

    0

    Ironic

    It’s quite ironic that monopolizing an OS has a much greater impact on ones life then how one plays downloaded music but you wouldn’t find that concern from these “consumer groups”...

    CVB

  1. LouZer

    Fresh-Faced Recruit

    Joined: Nov 2000

    0

    Re: ironic

    It’s quite ironic that monopolizing an OS has a much greater impact on ones life then how one plays downloaded music but you wouldn’t find that concern from these “consumer groups”...

    Right....its so unbelievable that MS has gotten away with murder in Europe. Oh, wait, they're under sanctions over there, plus having to go through hoops just to release vista.

    And did it occur to you that these consumer groups are groups concerned about digital music. It would seem kind of stupid for them to be up in arms over OSes (that's like saying a consumer group focused on kids eating healthy should be going after the auto industry).

    BTW, maybe you should note that iTunes/Fairplay are also not to be seen on Linux, let alone any other OS but Mac and Windows. Maybe they are concerned about monopolizing OSes and how it can cause people not to be able to make choices they want.

  1. aristotles

    Grizzled Veteran

    Joined: Jul 2004

    0

    Louzer, linux !=desktop

    The linux community is openly hostile towards closed source software.

    Your comment does not change the fact that MSFT only supports one platform and Apple supports both mac OS X and windows. That is more choice than Playsforsure or Zune offers.

    MSFT was supposed to be split up by the US government. They got away with murder in the US.

  1. Toyin

    Mac Elite

    Joined: Nov 2000

    0

    Move on already

    Like someone said above, if you don't like it, use another system. Apple and iTunes DOES NOT have a monopoly on music.

    Downloaded music is what, 10-20% of music sales? It's not like you can't go to your local music store and get the same music for your non-ipod player.

  1. horvatic

    Fresh-Faced Recruit

    Joined: Apr 2002

    0

    Get a life and get an iPo

    What's wrong with these people. Why don't they just get a life and buy an iPod if they want to use iTunes so fricken bad. What are they going to do to iTunes, threaten it with tea and biskets? You shutdown iTunes and you basically shutdown 80% of the legal downloads. Is that what they want? Idiots!

  1. smitch

    Fresh-Faced Recruit

    Joined: Nov 2005

    0

    let 'em eat...

    cake and just do without (or get a ZUNE)!

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