French Plan To Open iTunes To All Players.

Source: Reuters


France is pushing through a law that would force Apple to open the iTunes store to enable consumers to download songs to device other than the iPod.

PARIS (Reuters)--France is pushing through a law that would force Apple Computer Inc to open its iTunes online music store and enable consumers to download songs onto devices other than the computer maker's popular iPod player.

Under a draft law expected to be voted in parliament on Thursday, consumers would be able to legally use software that converts digital content into any format.

It would no longer be illegal to crack digital rights management--the codes that protect music, films and other content--if it is to enable to the conversion from one format to another, said Christian Vanneste, Rapporteur, a senior parliamentarian who helps guide law in France.

"It will force some proprietary systems to be opened up.... You have to be able to download content and play it on any device," Vanneste told Reuters in a telephone interview on Monday.

Music downloaded from Apple's iTunes online music store currently can only be played on iPods.

Two reasons why this will never happen:

1.) A tyrannical RIAA will never allow music to be distributed over iTunes that doesn't have strict DRM. They sue their own customers, for Pete's sake; this would never be allowed.

2.) This very law could mean the closing of the France iTunes store.

If this law passes, Apple loses millions, and the people of France loose a wonderful source of movies, podcasts, and music.

This is one of those stories that doesn't look like it will have a happy ending..one of those "everyone loses in the end" deals.

Tags: [Apple], [RIAA], [France], [iTunes], [iTunes Store]