Denmark may join France and demand Apple open its DRM
Denmark's largest telecom company, TDC, and the Maersk shipping giant, have joined the French call for Apple to open up its DRM to all players, with TDC's CEO saying that "we can only press for something like the French, because it gives the consumers as many opportunities to shop for music." We're not sure if such calls resonate with the Danish government; last time we checked, the Prince was still wandering around muttering something about ghosts, and his pals were warning him that "something rotten" was going on at the top. And chances are Steve Jobs isn't losing any sleep over this -- unless he's seeing ghosts as well -- since Denmark's population of about 5.4 million makes it one of Europe's smaller markets. Regardless of whether the corporate pronouncements translate into actual law, they do seem to point to a growing trend in Europe to demand greater DRM interoperability. Elsewhere in Europe, Apple's long-running battle with the surviving Beatles over the use of the name "Apple" is due back in court this week, as Paul and Ringo continue to insist that the iPod and iTunes violate the terms of a 1991 settlement in which Apple agreed to stay out of the music business. Apple has defended itself by insisting that the agreement with the Beatles' Apple Corps publishing company applied only to physical media and not "data transmission," as Apple defines its products. Maybe Apple should try the same excuse on those melancholy Danes and see if it'll be enough to get them to put down their slings and arrows.
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