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New Legislation Means Apple Could Pull Out of France

Apple Computer is naturally opposed to France's recent decision to open up the company's digital rights management on iTunes to competition. In fact, TechWeb, reports, the iPod maker is more likely to pull out of France altogether than bow to government pressure to open up iTunes. Some analysts believe this might be a smart move for Apple, especially since they say the legislation will likely have little impact on lawmakers in the U.S. or the rest of the EU. "There are some French-specific conditions," said one, referring to France's history of trying to get everything standardized, as well as its usual show of resistance to having its markets dominated by foreign companies. "It's likely to lead to Apple pulling out if they can't sell the way they want to," she said, but very unlikely it would affect the company's core businesses in the U.S. and the EU.

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