Apple's iTunes an outlaw in Norway

[Soham]

Apple's iTunes an outlaw in Norway

January 24, 2007 4:21 PM PST

Regulators in Norway have deemed Apple's iTunes Store illegal in their country because the songs won't work on anything but an iPod, the Financial Times reported Wednesday.

The report said that Apple has to allow other companies access to iTunes songs by October 1 or further legal action will ensue, which could involve a shutdown of the site if taken all the way. European regulators have been taking a hard look at Apple's music business recently, with news earlier this week that France and Germany are conducting simliar investigations.

Apple has so far been able to keep the iTunes Store up and running in Europe, after an attempt by the French to pass a law mandating interoperability failed. The company told the Financial Times that "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."

Posted by Tom Krazit

Source

Sorry guys looks like Apple is now just as evil as Microsoft. But in the other hand the Microsoft helps most corps.

[Toology]

I may not be Norwegian but I'm in agreement with the decision.

[baskingridge]

Talk about getting owned

[MaJoR]

Good for them!

[Allan]

HOORAY FOR NORWEGIANS!!!

[brlmedia]

wow, apple might be in trouble big time here.

[Berserk87]

OWNED

[xxdesmus]

^^ Seriously.

the walls come crumbling down huh Apple? ... Can ya here that? that is the sound of things falling apart. :yes:

[r3volution]

Yay!!! Go Norgies!! :p

[Menge]

i think it's a complicated issue... they have a whole business model planned around the fact that the iPod is "secure" and so is their iTunes system. hence it's locked to that "pair". so using that view, they're not "wrong" per se.

but then again... it really is a crappy option :p not to mention that it causes lock-in - which is just as bad or even worse as it being just a crap "pair"

shouldn't be "illegal". should be "monopoly attempt" or a term which we have in Brazil which is "Coupled Sale" (which states that "if you want something, you must buy something else with it" is illegal)

[JustGeorge]

The way I see it, Record labels use DRM to protect their content but Apple uses DRM to lock people out of choice. If iPod is so superior and will sell regardless because of style and "Apple quality", then lets test it. Keep iTunes and iPod locked together if you want, but license the DRM so people can make a choice and use the music somewhere else.

[Matt T]

I think Apple will choose to pull out of Norway rather than open up iTunes's DRM, which is ultimately bad for Norway because it means less competition.

[Elliott]

PWNT!

Oh, wait...it's Norway. What is that? Like 1/100th of Apple's overall iTS sales (not to mention Apple doesn't make a profit from the iTS)? Yea, not pwnt.

The way I see it, Record labels use DRM to protect their content but Apple uses DRM to lock people out of choice. If iPod is so superior and will sell regardless because of style and "Apple quality", then lets test it. Keep iTunes and iPod locked together if you want, but license the DRM so people can make a choice and use the music somewhere else.

It's only the iTS that locks you into the iPod. The iPod can play any other music file that isn't DRM'd, and that's because Apple obviously isn't going to license out something like PlaysForSure for no reason. Obviously people love the iTS or else these suits wouldn't be coming up, so at least one of Apple's products is high quality.

[primexx]

Sweet! Hopefully soon all DRM will be banished to the underworld as more and more people realise that they dont work.

[coolchan]

PWNT!

Oh, wait...it's Norway. What is that? Like 1/100th of Apple's overall iTS sales (not to mention Apple doesn't make a profit from the iTS)? Yea, not pwnt.

That's quite narrowminded.

Other countries are joining them as well. Soon maybe the whole EU. Now, that's significantly more sales.

And other countries outside of EU might be inspired too.

[NienorGT]

Go Go Go!

[Soham]

PWNT!

Oh, wait...it's Norway. What is that? Like 1/100th of Apple's overall iTS sales (not to mention Apple doesn't make a profit from the iTS)? Yea, not pwnt.

It's only the iTS that locks you into the iPod. The iPod can play any other music file that isn't DRM'd, and that's because Apple obviously isn't going to license out something like PlaysForSure for no reason. Obviously people love the iTS or else these suits wouldn't be coming up, so at least one of Apple's products is high quality.

Do know how many mp3 players are there in world to take apple's spot if Apple decides to pull out.

at least 25 brand is out there. I know for fact europeans are now getting attracted to their own products by archos and philips.

Norway, France, Germany Renew Fight Against iTunes

Mark Hachman - ExtremeTechWed Jan 24, 9:47 AM ET

The Norwegian ombudsman said this week that it has sided with a consumer council in its claims that Apple's iTunes service unfairly locks in consumers. French and German consumer groups have also joined in.

The Federation of German Consumer organizations (vzbv) and the French UFC Que Choisir joined the Norwegian Consumer Council in its fight, begun in June to force Apple to make songs purchased through its iTunes store transferrable and playable on a variety of devices.

"The Ombudsman has followed up on our complaint and among other things are now supporting The Norwegian Consumer Council claim that iTunes Fairplay is illegal in Norway," said Torgeir Andrew Waterhouse, senior adviser to the The Norwegian Consumer Council, in an email. "As a direct result of The Norwegian Consumer Council complaint, iTunes Music Store must remove it's illegal lock-in technology or appear in court!"

"It doesn't get any clearer than this, [Apple's] Fairplay [DRM] is an illegal lock-in technology which main purpose is to lock the consumers to the total package provided by Apple and iTunes Music Store by technically blocking interoperability," Waterhouse added in a separate statement.

Apple's Fairplay digital-rights-management software is the underpinnings of its iTunes Music Store, which is currently selling 5 million songs a day, according to Apple chief Steve Jobs, in statements made a keynote address at MacWorld this month. Norway and the French and German consumer groups would like Fairplay removed, or at least rewritten to allow its broader definition of fair use.

Speciifcally, the Norwegian group is asking for one of three solutions: a "fair and available" license Fairplay to all interested parties, in a license that would have to be closely monitored by consumer groups; joining other providers in developing an open-source DRM standard, to be developed without lock-ins; or remove the DRM technology altogether, something that Waterhouse admitted was a long shot.

According to the ombudsman, the digital-rights-management technology must be included as part of the purchase's contract, "providing balanced and fair rights" to the consumer.

[Brandon Live Veteran]

If only the US DOJ would follow suit and crackdown on Apple's anti-competitive practices.

[Kristian]

Oh! I like this very much!

Not only Norway, but it seems Sweden, Denmark, Germany and France is going to follow suit so I don't think Apple will just pull out!

[Quillz]

If only the US DOJ would follow suit and crackdown on Apple's anti-competitive practices.

They should crack down on Microsoft's anti-competitive practices, too. DRM just sucks.

[MrCobra]

If only the US DOJ would follow suit and crackdown on Apple's anti-competitive practices.

If only the US DOJ would reopen the multitude of cases against MS. It's funny to me that an employee of MS would be complaining about the anti-competiitive practices of another company. You should look from within and fix your own problems first.

[xxdesmus]

If only the US DOJ would follow suit and crackdown on Apple's anti-competitive practices.

I couldn't agree more. Apple has been conveniently ignored for far too long. They are doing plenty of things that are suspicious at best. :yes:

They should crack down on Microsoft's anti-competitive practices, too. DRM just sucks.

DRM is not Microsoft's fault. Get your facts straight my friend. Maybe you missed the conversation where Bill Gates essentially said DRM was ineffective, cumbersome, and unfair to consumers. DRM is only included in Windows because those bastards at the RIAA and the MPAA have there hands in everything. You want to hate someone for DRM? Hate those guys. You want to launch an investigation against someone, launch it against those pricks. :whistle:

If only the US DOJ would reopen the multitude of cases against MS. It's funny to me that an employee of MS would be complaining about the anti-competiitive practices of another company. You should look from within and fix your own problems first.

I won't even bother pointing out how funny your comment is. :rolleyes:

[redfish]

They should crack down on Microsoft's anti-competitive practices, too. DRM just sucks.

The problem with a lot of the criticisms and solutions to problems with Microsoft is that they should apply to their competitors. MacOS shouldn't be allowed to always ship with a media player if Windows isn't. This isn't saying that this is the right solution either. I know the arguments Mac users have, but they're really legal arguments, what I'm interested in is the intent of monpoly laws.

[xxdesmus]

MacOS shouldn't be allowed to always ship with a media player if Windows isn't.

Precisely, but then people will mistakenly claim "well the market share for OSX is so small right now it's not really anti-competitive." That argument always makes me laugh.

Any monopoly is a bad monopoly. :yes:

[seta-san]

itunes and the ipod should be regarded as a single product. opening up their DRM would defeat the very purpose of DRM. Europeans really **** me off with their communist, or is that socialist?, attitudes.