French lawmakers approve 'iTunes law'

French lawmakers approve 'iTunes law'
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060630/ap_on_hi_te/france_itunes_law_5

PARIS - French lawmakers gave final approval Friday to legislation that
could force Apple Computer Inc. to make its iPod and iTunes Music Store
compatible with rivals' music players and online services.

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Both the Senate and the National Assembly, France's lower house, voted in
favor of the copyright bill, which some analysts said could cause Apple
Computer Inc. and others to pull their music players and online download
stores from France.

The vote was the final legislative step before the bill becomes law -
barring the success of a last-ditch constitutional challenge filed last week
by the opposition Socialists.

Currently, songs bought on iTunes can be played only on iPods, and an iPod
can't play downloads from other stores that rival the extensive iTunes music
catalog from major artists and labels - like Sony's Connect and

Napster.

Apple described the original version of the copyright bill as
"state-sponsored piracy" earlier this year, but a company spokesman was not
immediately available to comment on Friday's vote.

In a statement issued after lawmakers hashed out the final compromise text
last week, Apple said it hoped the market would be left to decide "which
music players and online music stores are offered to consumers."

The final compromise asserts that companies should share the required
technical data with any rival that wants to offer compatible music players
and online stores, but it toned down many of the tougher measures backed by
lower-house lawmakers early on.

It also maintained a loophole introduced by senators, which could allow
Cupertino, Calif.-based Apple and others to dodge the data-sharing demands
by striking new deals with record labels and artists.

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