Apple Refutes Norwegian Watchdog Claims That iTunes is Unfair

Authored by Mark Hefflinger on August 4, 2006 - 12:26pm.

Oslo, Norway - Apple has denied charges made by Norway's Consumer Council that the company breached some of the country's laws with the restrictive terms of its iTunes Music Store, according to published reports. The Council formally complained to Apple that consumers should be able to play songs purchased on iTunes on any MP3 player. In a reply to the Council this week from Apple, the company agreed it should more clearly indicate to Norwegian consumers that iTunes songs will only play on iPods, but rejected claims that the practice was unfair. "It's very difficult to see how locking consumers into the iPod is preserving the rights of any given artist...It's just not replying to (the complaint). Apple is trying to 'smoke screen' it away," Torgeir Waterhouse, senior adviser at the Norwegian Consumer Council, told CNET News.com. The Council has yet to make a final decision, but may choose to impose a fine on Apple or shut down its iTunes Store in Norway. Apple has faced similar claims of unfair competition from France and several other Scandinavian countries.

http://forbrukerportalen.no/Artikler/2006/1138119849.71
http://tinyurl.com/ekysu (CNET)
http://www.reghardware.co.uk/2006/08/03/apple_norway_itunes_response