Apple is taking more heat over its anti-competitive practices regarding its iPod copy protection technology. The French online music store Virgin Mega has now filed a legal complaint against Apple, saying that Apple is engaged in anti-competitive practices by refusing to license the copy protection technology used in its iPod consumer electronics devices. This is yet more news about Apple's anti-competitive stance on music.
Real Networks recently called on Apple to open up its Fairplay digital rights technology so that other competing music services could transfer music content onto Apple's iPod players. But Apple apparently isn't really interested in open music standards. In fact, today Apple is beginning to act a lot like the MPAA or the RIAA, both of which strongly promote closed, proprietary digital rights management schemes for limiting the copying and the transfer of music from one device to another. Apple is apparently playing the same game now by blocking competing music services from being able to easily transfer music content to iPod devices.
It is a monopolistic practice by Apple, no doubt, and it runs counter to the philosophy of the Apple community, which has traditionally been far more open and fair-minded. Perhaps this is an indication of a fundamental shift in the philosophy of Apple computer. From here forward, the company seems intent on monopolizing its relationship with consumers and limiting their options rather than expanding them.
For my part, I think the iPod has always been an overpriced, underperforming consumer electronics device and I neither own one nor recommend it. If you want to play music files, go get yourself an iRiver flash MP3 player, which holds far more music than other flash players on the market, and has outstanding battery life to boot. It will be interesting to keep an eye on this situation and watch what Apple does down the road to inconvenience customers in its attempt to monopolize its intellectual property sales channels.
About the author: Mike Adams is a consumer health advocate and award-winning journalist with a passion for sharing empowering information to help improve personal and planetary health He is a prolific writer and has published thousands of articles, interviews, reports and consumer guides, impacting the lives of millions of readers around the world who are experiencing phenomenal health benefits from reading his articles. Adams is an independent journalist with strong ethics who does not get paid to write articles about any product or company. In 2010, Adams co-founded NaturalNews.TV, a natural health video sharing site that has now grown in popularity. He also launched an online retailer of environmentally-friendly products (BetterLifeGoods.com) and uses a portion of its profits to help fund non-profit endeavors. He's also a successful software entrepreneur, having founded a well known email marketing software company whose technology currently powers the NaturalNews email newsletters. Adams volunteers his time to serve as the executive director of the Consumer Wellness Center, a 501(c)3 non-profit organization, and regularly pursues cycling, nature photography, Capoeira and Pilates.
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Friday, August 06, 2004
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