Norway is about to Ban Itunes Downloads Online?

Lets talk about something new and unexpected.
When it comes to downloading music on the web in a legal fashion, Itunes is the undisputed leader. Well, maybe not in Norway.

Norway has a unique set of laws related to technology, particularly as it applies to the web. One set of laws tries to create a consumer friendly air for particular software to product applications. In human terms, these laws state that a software system designed for a specific problem also has to be adaptable to other products not owned by the company in question. In this case, we are talking about the Itunes and Ipod relationship.

Unlike most countries, Norway has a unique way of enforcing its laws in this regard. The country appoints an “Ombudsman” to rule on various issues such as whether a company is or is not complying with the laws of the country. The current ombudsman has ruled that Apple violates the law because Itunes cannot be used to download to Nokia and Microsoft products to name but a few. So, is Itunes going to be blocked in Norway now? No. The company has until October 1st to make changes that allow other products to receive downloads from Itunes. How Apple goes about this, of course, is going to be the interesting development.

Obviously, the Norway ruling is not good news for Apple and its incredibly popular Itunes-Ipod product line. Then again, how big a hit could losing the Norway market be? Probably not a big one, but more bad news may be on the way. Other countries in the European Union are now reviewing the ruling and considering adopting it. If Apple faces this problem across all of Europe, you can bet it will move quickly to modify Itunes.

At the end of the day, the ruling of the ombudsman in Norway may look like the usual unwanted government intervention. In truth, it is probably a good move. As consumers, we should want as much flexibility as possible with the things we pay for. If Itunes can be accessed through more products, it can only be a good thing.

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