More European countries are pressuring Apple Computer Inc to open its iTunes Music Store so purchased songs could be played on any portable music player and not just the iPod.
Consumer agencies in Norway, Sweden and Denmark last week sent a joint letter to Apple, saying the iPod maker is violating their contract and copyright laws with its product usage restrictions.
The regulators have extended their deadline from June 21 to Aug. 1 for the company to respond, according to Apple.
The agencies could take Apple to court if they're not satisfied with the answer.
The agencies could seek injunctions against Apple, banning iTunes from their markets.
However, the agencies are "hoping to establish a joint and constructive dialogue to rectify the situation," the Norwegian consumer ombudsman said.
The agencies contend that Apple's system of making its market-leading iPod players the only compatible portable player for iTunes downloads is illegal and tramples consumers' rights.
"Consumers must be free to choose the equipment and software they want to use. Access to content should not be limited by accidental choices of technology," Torgeir Waterhouse, a senior adviser on the Norwegian Consumer Council, wrote in a complaint that was upheld last week by the Norwegian consumer ombudsman.
The Scandinavian troubles for iTunes come as the French parliament is poised to vote soon on legislation that could force all electronic gadgets to be "interoperable."
A French National Assembly proposal would force Apple, Sony Corp and others to share their copy-protection technologies so that competitors could offer music players and online stores that are compatible with theirs.
The Senate has proposed a less restrictive bill that would let Apple maintain its exclusive link between the iPod and iTunes if it gets the authorization from copyright holders to do so.
The ombudsmen from the three Scandinavian countries contend the terms of Apple's contract with iTunes users are "unreasonable."
Besides the iPod-iTunes closed system, the agencies are critical of how the iTunes contract says Apple has the right to make changes -- without warning -- to how its service is used. The agencies are also taking issue at how Apple fully waives itself of responsibility for damages related to its service.
"The consumers are clearly the inferior partner in the contract, and this in itself is illegal," Norwegian Ombudsman Bjorn Erik Thon said.
"We have received the letter from the Norwegian Consumer Council. We are looking into it, and we are looking forward to resolving this matter," Apple spokeswoman Natalie Kerris said on Tuesday. She declined further comment.
Legal experts say such liability waiver terms are commonly used by many software and electronics companies in the US, but Apple's market dominance in the online music market has made it a high-profile target.
PATENT DISPUTE
Separately, portable media player maker Creative Technology Ltd said the US International Trade Commission agreed to investigate whether Apple's rival iPod infringes on one of its patents.
Singapore-based Creative filed the ITC complaint and a federal lawsuit alleging that iPods infringed on its patent for a navigation system used to organize and access music on portable players.
Creative dubbed the patent, the "Zen patent," after its brand-name Zen media players.
Under the ITC complaint, Creative asked the agency to block imports of iPods, which are manufactured abroad.
The ITC will reach a conclusion as soon as possible, setting a target date within 45 days of the investigation's launch, Creative said.
The probe is the latest development in an increasingly twisted patent battle between the two companies.
In court documents, Apple has maintained no wrongdoing and has since filed two patent-infringement countersuits against Creative.
Indonesia has sent hundreds of riot police to a tiny island after protests broke out against a China-backed project that would displace thousands of residents. About 1,000 people protested in Batam City on Monday over a plan to develop Rempang island into a Chinese-funded economic zone, including the construction of a multibillion-dollar glass factory, that would displace about 7,500 people. Some protesters clashed with security forces outside a government agency, wielding machetes, Molotov cocktails and stones, police said, adding that dozens were arrested. Beijing has poured money into infrastructure and resource projects in Southeast Asia’s biggest economy and its investments have previously caused
‘HARASSMENT’: A record 103 Chinese warplanes were detected in 24 hours, posing severe challenges to security in the Taiwan Strait and the region, the ministry said Taiwan yesterday told China to stop its “destructive unilateral actions” after more than 100 Chinese warplanes and nine navy ships were detected in areas around the nation. The Ministry of National Defense (MND) described the number of warplanes detected in 24 hours as a “recent high,” while Beijing has so far refrained from issuing any official comment on the sorties. “Between the morning of September 17th to 18th, the Ministry of National Defense had detected a total of 103 Chinese aircraft, which was a recent high and has posed severe challenges to the security across the Taiwan Strait and in the region,”
China would be making “a grave strategic mistake” if it tried to attack Taiwan, US Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman General Mark Milley said in an interview with CNN that aired on Sunday. Asked by host Fareed Zakaria whether the US could repel a Chinese invasion of Taiwan, Milley said: “It is entirely possible.” Milley reiterated that the US still maintains the Taiwan Relations Act, and that it wants “a peaceful outcome between Taiwan and the People’s Republic of China, and whatever that is between those two peoples.” “Militarily, I think China would make a grave strategic mistake if they attempted to
‘CRITICAL TRADE PARTNER’: The proposal had momentum due to a bipartisan consensus on boosting the economic partnership with Taiwan, a US senator said The US Senate Committee on Finance on Thursday passed the US-Taiwan Expedited Double Tax Relief Act, with US officials saying that it would ease pressure on investors and boost the partnership between Taipei and Washington, although Taiwan needs to enact reciprocal legislation for it to take effect. The bill — which was developed by US senators Ron Wyden, the committee’s chairman, and ranking member Mike Crapo, along with US representatives Jason Smith, chairman of the US House of Representatives Committee on Ways and Means, and ranking member Richard Neal — was passed in a 27-0 vote. The proposal had momentum because of