“French lawmakers gave final approval Friday to legislation that could force Apple Computer Inc. to make its iPod and iTunes Music Store compatible with rivals’ music players and online services,” Laurence Frost and Nathalie Schuck report for The Associated Press. “The vote was the final legislative step before the bill becomes law — barring the success of a last-ditch constitutional challenge filed last week by the opposition Socialists.”
“Currently, songs bought on iTunes can be played only on iPods, and an iPod can’t play downloads from other stores that rival the extensive iTunes music catalog from major artists and labels,” Frost and Schuck report. “The final compromise asserts that companies should share the required technical data with any rival that wants to offer compatible music players and online stores, but it toned down many of the tougher measures backed by lower-house lawmakers early on. It also maintained a loophole introduced by senators, which could allow Cupertino, Calif.-based Apple and others to dodge the data-sharing demands by striking new deals with record labels and artists.”
Full article here.
Apple to music labels: You will tell us that you have explicitly decided and approved that our FairPlay DRM must be included on music offered via iTunes Music Store. Sign here. Fini.
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