Apple will lower its prices for music downloads in the UK following pressure from consumer lobby group Which? to the European Commission. The Commission has welcomed the move, but Apple has warned it could lead to cuts in its UK catalogue.
Apple charges 79p for single song downloads in the UK and 99 cents in European countries which have adopted the euro. Which? said that the UK prices worked out at around 20% higher than in the euro-zone.
"We complained about Apple’s price discrimination back in 2004 – so we’re glad they’ve finally agreed to give British music lovers a fair deal," said Which? lawyer Chris Warner. “The fact they’ll soon be able to download tracks for the same price as European customers will be music to the ears of UK iTunes customers."
Apple, though, said that it might cut its catalogue if record labels continue to charge more for music in the UK than in Europe.
"Apple currently must pay some record labels more to distribute their music in the UK than it pays them to distribute the same music elsewhere in Europe," said an Apple statement. "Apple will reconsider its continuing relationship in the UK with any record label that does not lower its wholesale prices in the UK to the pan-European level within six months."
This article was contributed to ITproportal.com by http://www.OUT-LAW.com.
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