UNIVERSAL MUSIC - UNIVERSAL MUSIC EXEC: IPODS ARE REPOSITORIES FOR STOLEN MUSIC

UNIVERSAL MUSIC EXEC: IPODS ARE REPOSITORIES FOR STOLEN MUSIC

Apple Computer is facing new challenges to its iPod devices from content providers, who, while seeking ways to profit from digital technology, remain worried that it will wreck their businesses. On Wednesday, Reuters quoted Doug Morris, head of Vivendi's Universal Music Group (UMG), as saying that he wants the same deal from Apple that he has negotiated with Microsoft for its Zune player -- a royalty payment for each device sold. Morris said that all such digital devices "are just repositories for stolen music, and they all know it. So it's time to get paid for it." Two weeks ago UMG sued social networking site MySpace, charging that it allowed users to pirate its music videos. Meanwhile, the London Financial Times reported that the major film studios are demanding that, before they will sign a deal to provide movies to Apple's iTunes Music Store, Apple must develop software that will prevent the movies from being downloaded to multiple iPods from a single PC.

30/11/2006