France Tones Down Interoperability Law

Apple has come up trumps in France, where lawmakers have agreed to water down the interoperability law, in favour of Apple’s online music store iTunes. The copyright law, drafted earlier, required Apple to make its digital music store, iTunes, compatible with devices other than the iPod. This meant, Apple had to submit security codes for its digital management right (DRM), Fairplay, to a government agency.

Now, the French lawmakers seem to have succumbed to Apple, Sony and others by allowing compatibility restrictions on music and videos according to copyright holders. This means artists and song writers could strike deals with Apple and its rivals, allowing them to restrict which systems the music will play on.

Apple had maintained earlier, that it would not comply with the DRM rules and would move out of France altogether, if the law is enforced. Now, if the toned down draft is implemented it will allow companies such as Sony, Apple and Microsoft to meander through the loopholes of the DRM laws.