Apple Inc (AAPL)

[ljk]

Not the French, again!


DJ French Consumer Lobby May Challenge Music Player Makers [/b
09/23/2004
Dow Jones News Services
(Copyright © 2004 Dow Jones & Company, Inc.

PARIS (Dow Jones)--French consumer association UFC-Que Choisir said Thursday that it is considering legal action against manufacturers of digital music players for failing to agree on a single standard.

In a statement, UFC-Que Choisir said industrial companies such as Apple Computer Inc. (NMS), Microsoft Corp. (MSFT) and Sony Corp. (SNE) shackled their respective customers with in-house systems and "consciously refused to make players and on-line marketing platforms that can interact with each other."

Earlier this month, Microsoft rolled out its MSN Music store, a direct challenge to Apple, which dominates the market with its fast-selling iPod player and iTunes music store.

-By David Gauthier-Villars, Dow Jones Newswires; [phone]; [e-mail]



(END) Dow Jones Newswires

09-23-04 1239ET