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Monday, March 20, 2006, 07:00 pm
Vote on iPod-threatening French draft law slated for Tuesday
Apple Computer could on Tuesday be forced to open up its digital music business to competitors after a vote in the French parliament, notes The Financial Times.The iPod maker would ultimately have to choose between making iTunes downloads compatible with rival platforms or pulling out of France if, as expected, the parliament in Paris approves a draft copyright law, according to the report.
The law would also allow rivals to serve up tunes to iPod users through their own online music download services.
Digital Rights Management (DRM) software embedded in tracks downloaded from Apple's iTunes Music Store prevents them from being played on digital music players other than an iPod, but the French bill seeks to impose "interoperability" on online music stores and break Apple’s closed system.
"It is unacceptable that... the key should be controlled by a monopoly. France is against monopolies," Martin Rogard, an adviser at the French Culture Ministry, told The Financial Times. "The consumer must be able to listen to the music they have bought on no matter what platform."
Rogard said it was "desirable" that France led in this respect, but hoped that it was the start of a Europe-wide move to open up digital music.
However, opponents of the draft law say forcing Apple to admit competitors to a market it was instrumental in creating is sending the wrong signal to technology companies.
CompTIA, a trade association, reportedly said the law was the latest in a series of measures in the European Union that were "punishing inventors and stifling innovation."
Apple is reportedly waiting for the law to be passed before making any comment.
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Previous Comments View All
This is ridiculous! People aren't forced to sue iTunes! If they want interoperability, they can use something else.
While I am against the specific wording of this law, if in fact it would force Apple to provide interoperability, I AM in favour of not outlawing breaking DRM.
People should be able to legally break DRM to support their fair use rights.
This is ridiculous! People aren't forced to sue iTunes! If they want interoperability, they can use something else.
..which is invariably less useful hence the success of iPod/iTMS.
The whole point of Apple's end-to-end approach is that it benefits the consumer by providing a cohesive, design-driven system that actually works. By taking a can-opener to it you get a compromised system that hypothetically works but actually falls short & the consumer (instead of the designer - if there even was one) is left feeling inept.
Close iTMS France, just in case!
McD
There seems to be a shift in the concept of what a product is. Instead of the content, you buy the carrier.
I understand that markets are changing, but so far I think there hasn't been enough public debate about a contemporary definition of fair use, copyrights, and consumers' rights when buying digital content, like iTMS songs.
France bringing this issue to court seems to be a good way to do that.
I don't know about the US, but in Europe we have a tradition of anti-kartel laws. Although it may sound anti-business, the intention of law-suits like this is pro-business.
"We" think is is not acceptable for a company to be the only player in a market. If necessary, such companies will be forced to allow competition, because a market without competition is not considered a healthy market.
For the same reason it is also illegal for competing companies to make deals about minimum prices for their similar products, because that would allow them to keep prices unreasonably high. Again not considered healthy.
Also, competitors of privatised companies (formerly owned by the government) are usually given certain benefits, in order to create fair competition.
So, to answer your question Gates of Hell, this type of action is also taken against autochtone companies.
Bringing this case to court is not a personal act, it is about asking a judge, as a representative of "the law" to make a decision and maybe set a precedent.
oops...
This is dumb, if OS X took off and became a big success, this would be like asking them to make OS X able to work on other boxes. THEN, Apple would be obligated to provide support for the Joe Schmo that installed OS X on his lousy Dell, and they'd lose many other benefits of having a closed box.
Ok, so a DRM is maybe not quite as drastic, but the principle is the same I think.
oops...
Well stated! Apple does not have a monopoly on music, and music is the commodity here. There are all sorts of companies that sell music in other ways - brick & mortar stores, websites, Napster, etc. Apple just has a great delivery system - iTMS and iPods.
BTW - the judge here should be the consumer, not the government or courts. There are plenty of iPod wannabes that can play downloaded or ripped music.
This is ridiculous! People aren't forced to sue iTunes! If they want interoperability, they can use something else.
If they want interoperability they should buy a CD so they can rip it in any format to any device they want!
Well stated! Apple does not have a monopoly on music, and music is the commodity here. There are all sorts of companies that sell music in other ways - brick & mortar stores, websites, Napster, etc. Apple just has a great delivery system - iTMS and iPods.
BTW - the judge here should be the consumer, not the government or courts. There are plenty of iPod wannabes that can play downloaded or ripped music.
I was just elaborating on the reasoning behind this case.
My opinion is that there should be (a) more public debate about consumer's rights in regard to digital products.
Right now I think not a lot of consumer are aware of the possible consequences that things like DRM have on their position as a consumer.
I'll be checking out the outcome of this case.
Yeah, music is sold in stores, on vinyl etc, and maybe in the end it boils down to whether you believe in government interference in the economy...
But still, don't you think it's weird that you buy music and then are limited in your (personal) use of it? Do you think this is a good route for businesses to take? Is it good for development of music and businesses?
Or is DRM protected music like buying a nice, sweet apple, and then not being allowed to digest all the vitamins and healthy goodness inside of it?
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I can't help think that if Apple were a French company then the authorities would be in favour of a closed system monopoly.
This has all been proposed in the name of the consumer but in fact it's a steaming pile of xenophobic horse dung. I just hope the rest of the EU don't follow suit.