More consumer groups in Europe are joining a campaign led by agencies in Scandinavia to persuade or force Apple to unlock its DRM so to allow other manufacturers to make iTunes compatible music players and to allow other download platforms to sell DRM protected music that can be played on the market leader iPod.
Consumer groups have, of course, long argued that digital music business models adopted by Apple and most of its major competitors in the computer and electronics space are unfair because they lock consumers in - so that iPod owners can only buy major label music from iTunes, and iTunes users can only play their music on an iPod. As previously reported, last year groups in France nearly pushed through new laws that would have banned such business models, but in the end watered down legislation was voted in which essentially allows Apple et al to continue as before.
However, opposition to incompatibility in the digital music space has continued to grow in Norway, Denmark and Sweden where consumer agencies last year declared Apple's model violated local contract and copyright laws. Those agencies now say their counterparts in Finland, France and Germany - Kuluttajavirasto, UFC-Que Choisir and Ferbraucherzentralen respectively - are joining their alliance against Apple.
Bjoern Erik Thon, a Norwegian consumer ombudsman, confirmed the growing support for his campaign last week, telling reporters: "This is important because Germany and France are European giants. Germany, in particular, is a big market for digital music. It cannot be good for the music industry for them [Apple] to lock music into one system".
Thon says Norwegian officials have already met with Apple and given them to next September to change their business model on the threat of legal action if they fail to do so. It is unclear whether the other European agencies who have expressed support for the Nordic consumer groups will go so far as to make similar ultimatums (or whether they are confident Apple are actually breaching any laws in their countries).
However, Apple seem to remain hopeful they can placate the consumer groups without having to make radical changes to their business model. A spokesman for the company said this week: "Apple is aware of the concerns we've heard from several agencies in Europe and we're looking forward to resolving these issues as quickly as possible. Apple hopes that European governments will encourage a competitive environment that lets innovation thrive, protects intellectual property and allows consumers to decide which products are successful".