France’s so-called “iPod law” officially went into effect on Thursday, although little immediate effect from it is expected, according to an Associated Press story. “A new government regulatory authority assigned to monitor the law is not expected to be in place until this fall,” noted reporter Angela Charlton. “Much will depend on the law’s interpretation by the French courts, as well as the stance taken by recording companies.”
Last Friday, France’s Constitutional Council declared the law partly unconstitutional, saying that Apple shouldn’t be forced to open the iTunes Music Store’s digital rights management (DRM) to MP3 players other than the iPod. However, the council’s ruling did leave open the door for other companies to pay Apple to license the iTunes DRM.
“The law also has a loophole that could allow Apple and others to dodge the technology-sharing demands by striking individual deals with record labels and artists,” wrote Ms. Charlton.