EU Commissioner Slams Music Lock-In

Nonu writes "EU Commissioner for Consumer Protection Meglena Kuneva has come out against DRM lock-ins like Apple's iPod-iTunes combo. Kuneva said she believes the tie-in that keeps music bought from the iTunes Store from playing on MP3 players other than the iPod was unreasonable. '"Do you find it reasonable that a CD will play in all CD players, but an iTunes song will only play on an iPod?" asked Kuneva. "It doesn't [seem reasonable] to me. Something must change."' The EU is in the midst of an effort to harmonize its consumer protection laws, and along with the question of DRM tie-ins it is also looking at mandating cooling-off periods during which customers could 'return' downloaded music."

Comments

You appear to have replied to the wrong comment?

[Whiney Mac Fanboy]

Or perhaps this is a pre-canned comment you keep ready to drop on someone who says something anti-ITMS?

Anyway, I'll reply to the bit that did seem to intersect my comment:

Summary: it is nowhere near as technically, legally, and procedurally as simple as people seem to think it is, and the fact Apple isn't doing it now doesn't mean Jobs' DRM statement was just PR fluff that they floated out because they "knew" they'd "never have to do it":

Artists have been asking for DRM free ITMS music for months. If Jobs was as concerned about DRM being imposed on him as his little blog makes out, don't you think Apple should lead by example and become the first label (let's face it, that's what they are now) to offer DRM free tunes.

Even an announcement stating they're going to offer DRM-free tunes as soon as technically feasible would be enough for me.

Without that, Jobs' calling on the rest of the music industry to drop DRM when he appears unwilling to drop it himself smacks of hypocrisy.

Apple talking the talk, not walking the walk again.

(PS, what did you think of my diary?).