Apple computer reconfigures iPod digital music players to maintain music monopoly while inconveniencing users

• RealNetworks Inc., which sells songs over the Web, said Apple Computer Inc. has altered the software for some of its market-leading iPod digital music players so that songs purchased from RealNetworks won't play.
• The changes affect the new iPod Photo, RealNetworks spokesman Matt Graves said.
• Seattle-based RealNetworks in August released its Harmony program to enable its music to be directly downloaded to iPod devices, bypassing Apple's copy-protection software.
• RealNetworks introduced Harmony, which allows music to be downloaded to a range of devices, to differentiate its music store from offerings by Microsoft Corp., Apple, Wal-Mart Stores Inc. and others.
• Apple's iTunes is the most popular store, and Apple is protecting that lead by designing its software so other stores can't load their music directly onto the iPod.
• "It is highly likely that Real's Harmony technology will cease to work with current and future iPods" because of software updates, Apple spokeswoman Natalie Kerris said in a statement.
• Apple has updated the software for all of its iPod models in the past two months, according to its Web site.
• RealNetworks, which is trying to fix the problem, doesn't know how many iPod models can't play its music, Graves said.
• Jobs refused the alliance and used The New York Times to publicize Glaser's e-mail.
• RealNetworks responded by designing Harmony without Apple's assistance.
• The company released a test version in July to complaints from Apple that RealNetworks had "adopted the tactics and ethics of a hacker."
• Apple's iTune stores are the No. 1 destination for buying music over the Internet, accounting for almost 70 percent of music sold legally between December 2003 and July 2004, according to researcher NPD Group.
• RealNetworks' music store had 6 percent of the market, putting it in a tie for third place with Wal-Mart.