Two states don’t think Universal helped Apple stifle free music
It’s no secret that both Apple and music labels are less than fond of free music streaming from Spotify and other services, but are they conspiring together to hurt these services in favor of pay-only options like Apple Music? Not if you ask the attorneys general of Connecticut and New York state. Both of them have accepted a statement from Universal Music Group swearing that it isn’t illegally blocking free tunes, indicating that antitrust regulators didn’t find evidence of collusion between UMG, rival labels and Apple.
This doesn’t mean that the folks in Cupertino are free and clear, mind you. Both states say they’re still conducting investigations into the competitiveness of streaming music, and European Union officials are also looking into Apple’s dealings. If there’s any clear sign that Apple and labels are trying to steal the thunder of free services (such as by yanking artists), you could still see a repeat of the antitrust crackdown that shook up the e-book world.
Filed under: Internet, Software, Apple
Via: New York Times
Source: New York Attorney General (PDF)
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