European consumer groups unite to pressure iTunes

[MacBytes]

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Category: Tunes
Link: European consumer groups unite to pressure iTunes (http://www.macbytes.com/link.php?sid=20070123163056)
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Posted on MacBytes.com (http://www.macbytes.com)
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[pth-webdev]

As a European, I do not agree with the actions that these organisations are undertaking. They do not speak for me.

The reason is simple. There are many brands of music players in any imaginable price-category. There are also several on-line stores that these people can buy there music from. Some are even cheaper. People can still buy physical CD's, even on-line.

Anyone can download iTunes for free and rip any CD they want to a audio-format that can be played by any device, iPod or something else. So Apple already provides them with a lot of value for which no price needs to be payed. And iTunes helps with other free content (such as PodCasts) as well.

Of all the possible combinations player+store, there is one ty-in: iTunes and iPod (and even this has a work-around). Why does that have to be under attack?

So people *want* to buy at the iTunes music store, it seems. Why? Convenience? Trust? Price? Catalog? Instant access? I don't know. There must be a very, very good reason, but none is made explicit.

I think this is just testing how far these organisations can get.

[benthewraith]

There's anti-Apple money being flooded into them somehow...potentially Microsoft to help their Zune sell better?

[Applespider]

I'd much rather some of these consumer groups took up the fact that across Europe, broadcasters are using WMP10 for their free/Pay on demand broadcasting services which is Windows only. I pay my subscription, I'm entitled to use these services and I can't because they limit them to WMP10.

[mrsebastian]

lol, good luck with that and don't let the door hit you in the ass on the way out. apple will do what they want and you as a consumer have the right to not purchase their product(s). end of story.

[pilotError]

There's anti-Apple money being flooded into them somehow...potentially Microsoft to help their Zune sell better?

More likely the Music companies themselves.