Apple to be forced to open up the Itunes store?

[Stuart]

Apparently, the French government is passing a law which will require on line media stores (such as the itunes store) to enable users of all brands of MP3 players to use their downloads.


http://today.reuters.com/sponsoredby...COPYRIGHTS.xml

I say it's about time. I don't agree with DRM at all, but if companies have to have it, I think they should at least licence it to multiple vendors, so all MP3 player users will be able to benefit.

After all, Microsoft have licenced Windows Media to most of the MP3 player vendors, and multiple music stores. Why can't Apple licence FairPlay?

Apple have a screwed up business plan. Although its worth noting that no one has licenced iPods to play Window DRM either (VERY ANNOYING) So i cannot do or play anything thats windows DRM protected.

This iTunes thing will mean record companys pulling out of itunes france. Apple were against DRM when itunes first started but did so to get the music industry on board. Hopefully apples market share and give apple some power over the industry as happened last time when they tried to raise prices.

We will see

[punky]

I despise Apple's business practices, which make Bill Gates & Microsoft look pretty nice and fluffy. I do think companies should reserve the right to adminster their product anyway they see fit. If they want to license MP3s only for Ipods? That's their choice. Likewise customers have the choice to choose a real music store & MP3 player.

Originally Posted by punky

I despise Apple's business practices, which make Bill Gates & Microsoft look pretty nice and fluffy. I do think companies should reserve the right to adminster their product anyway they see fit. If they want to license MP3s only for Ipods? That's their choice. Likewise customers have the choice to choose a real music store & MP3 player.

Apple and Microsoft are both forced to have DRM by the industry.

[Shaun]

People would soon get fed up with the "industry" when they couldn't buy music online. The record labels wouldn't want to loose out on that amount of revenue, the suppliers (apple, Microsoft, Napster) all gave in too easily.

Just think how different the music landscape would be if the suppliers had held out and just releases tracks where the creator/promoter was happy for the track to be DRM free. We may even have new unknown artists that are actually good at what they do being readily available to buy from itunes or wherever. In the end we've got the same sort of market as on the high street where the number one is always which ever group can spend the most on sticking their faces all over the TV (or win a TV competition).

Sad really, many people were hoping for a revival of real music when online downloads came about.

Originally Posted by Shaun

People would soon get fed up with the "industry" when they couldn't buy music online. The record labels wouldn't want to loose out on that amount of revenue, the suppliers (apple, Microsoft, Napster) all gave in too easily.

Just think how different the music landscape would be if the suppliers had held out and just releases tracks where the creator/promoter was happy for the track to be DRM free. We may even have new unknown artists that are actually good at what they do being readily available to buy from itunes or wherever. In the end we've got the same sort of market as on the high street where the number one is always which ever group can spend the most on sticking their faces all over the TV (or win a TV competition).

Sad really, many people were hoping for a revival of real music when online downloads came about.

The chart looks different now and the records companys were not at all keen to have music be online. They would not have done it without a way to limit the computers it could be on and the customers control. Also since you can buy single songs instead of a album people do discover new bands.

There are also more than enough places to find unsigned labels.