France seeks to break proprietary formats

[Dinko]

The French are at it again, meddling in economic markets again. This time, they're out to break proprietary formats like Apple's iTunes Music Store which won't allow you to play tracks on other players than the company's own iPod line.

You can bet that it also applies to Sony's CONNECT store. Possibly the only formats that could escape this law (if passed) are the WMA DRM files which you can play on a large variety of players, and get from a large variety of stores.

http://news.ft.com/cms/s/eb226ae6-b90b-11d...00779e2340.html

Next step: attack proprietary cables.

Every single DAP in the world should have standard mini-B USB jacks, or come packaged with a free adaptor.

[Guest Stuge]

there are rumous that if this law is passed these companies will stop sellign their DAP`s in France...Stupid people rule France ..

[JSP62]

.... “At this point, Apple’s iPod and iTunes have become the product that many consumers view as hard to live without.......”

HA HA

I just found that comical, don't you?

[pata2001]

If Apple were to close iTunes in France, consumers would be left owning iPod music players that are “as much use as paperweights”, says Mr Doherty

Err, the iPod can play MP3s just fine, thank you. If Apple withdrew iTMS, no problem. Of course, this could mean encouraging people to go P2P for their music source.

Apple's problem is, Steve Jobs refuses to license iTMS' fairplay DRM. If it is not licensable, then nobody can make other player to support it. Of course, if Apple did, then the iPod might not be as popular as it is now. Remember, iTMS is NOT greatly profitable for Apple (much of the money is for the RIAA). The profit is on the hardware. So it is critical for Apple to lock iTMS to their iPods in order to keep selling the hardware for profit.

I agree for cables though. Manufactures need to use standard jacks. Even Creative is going propietary now, so that they can make those profitable docking accessories.