EU: Apple yet to answer antitrust claims
updated 01:25 pm EDT, Fri June 1, 2007
EU and Apple clash
Apple has yet to respond to antitrust allegations that are the result of an inquiry launched April 3rd, according to European Commission officials. Central to the issue is a concern over restrictions that disallow customers of the iTunes Music Store to purchase tracks meant for a country other than the one from which they are connecting to the Internet, causing price differentials between intra-eurozone and extra-eurozone. The European Commission's deadline for a response from Apple is midnight on Monday, June 4th -- two months after the start of the investigation.
Two areas left out of the EU officials' statement on Apple's lack of a response involve DRM concerns and any suggestion that Apple holds an unfair dominant market position.
In a statement to issued at the start of the investigation, Apple officials denied that anything was done in violation of EU law, and claims to have desired a pan-European iTunes store, but was advised by record labels that this would conflict legally with copyrights.
Give it a break EU
06/01, 02:53pm reply
Come on, lay off Apple. There's bigger fish to fry. They are making very positive steps with this whole DRM issue and allow them to be a dominant player in at least ONE market. Good grief.
I might add, Apple is dominant due to the quality and desire of the product, NOT because companies and individuals are locked-in like the way Microsoft dominates!!
Smurfman
Fresh-Faced Recruit
Joined: May 2001
hmmm...
06/01, 02:56pm reply
I think I read that wrong... Is the article saying the EU is not commenting about DRM and iTunes being a dominant player?
In that case, hopefully they'll continue to be quiet. ;-)
Smurfman
Fresh-Faced Recruit
Joined: May 2001
I don't think they get it
06/01, 05:42pm reply
These limitations exist because of licensing issues. It is beyond the control of Apple to deal with it. The EU should take it up with the music industry or shut the h*** up.
aristotles
Senior User
Joined: Jul 2004
Re: I don't think...
06/02, 07:44am reply
They get it. They also know there's is absolutely no reason for Apple's DRM to be limited to just Apple, except for Apple's own bottom-line. It easily could be licensed to be used by other players, and they would be happy. Apple wouldn't, though, because they would then have actual competition for the ipod.
LouZer
Fresh-Faced Recruit
Joined: Nov 2000
bottom line?
06/04, 12:49pm reply
like that's a bad thing? actual competition? smurfman has it right, the ipod is where it is because of choice. windows is where it is because of antitrust and a lack of knowledgeable consumers. thousands of thousands of web sites exist where you need a ms product to fully use it, whether it be ie or windows media player. there is absolutely no reason why this has to be except for the fact that ms does not and will not play with others so they make their stuff proprietary. for what? well, their bottom line...
nat
Junior Member
Joined: Mar 2002