Apple Statement Says New French Law is Piracy

[Jason Dunn]

<div class='os_post_top_link'><a href='http://www.wired.com/news/technology/0,70466-0.html?tw=rss.index' target='_blank'>http://www.wired.com/news/technology/0,70466-0.html?tw=rss.index</a><br /><br /></div><i>"Apple Computer said on Tuesday a proposed French law that would force Apple to make sure that songs bought on its iTunes music store can work on any portable player would result in "state-sponsored piracy...Apple said the law, which it opposes, would likely actually increase its sales of iPod music players. "IPod sales will likely increase as users freely upload their iPods with 'interoperable' music which cannot be adequately protected," Kerris said. "Free movies for iPods should not be far behind.""</i><br /><br />I'm a little fuzzy on the details here - is the French law stating the no DRM can be used on any song? Or just that songs sold with DRM have to have a type of DRM that is compatible with audio players being sold today? It almost looks like Apple is putting forth the idea that the French law would force them to sell DRM-free MP3s from iTunes, but wouldn't the other option be for Apple to license their FairPlay DRM to other digital audio player companies?

[Philip Colmer]

If the BBC have reported this accurately (1) (http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/4828296.stm) and (2) (http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/4833010.stm), I would say that any DRM-restricted music must either be directly playable on all devices or the DRM mechanism must be documented for other companies to be able to change a DRM-restricted track so that it can be played on other devices.

Sort of what Real did ... :-).

It will be very interesting to see how this one pans out.

--Philip

[Felix Torres]

I believe one of the provisions in the law is to legalize software that allows consumers to transcode content to play on non-DRM devices.

Translation: it would make converting DRM'ed AAC to non-DRM AAC or MP3 legal.

[jlp]

Just point me to the French text of the law: my native language is French!!

Then you'll know for sure instead of guessing...

8)

[jlp]

I'll answer my own comments:

Here is a text from a French site; tho 95+% of the pages are in French this one is natively in English.

Said site is concumers oriented.

DADVSI code : nirvana or nightmare ?
A compilation of quotes about about the french draft copyright law (http://eucd.info/index.php?2006/03/22/288-dadvsi-code-nirvana-or-nightmare)

Note the keyword "draft", it's not yet passed into law.