Norway's consumer agency said Thursday it remained at odds with Apple Computers over the company's exclusive link between its iPod music players and online iTunes store, insisting that the songs downloaded at a cost ought to be playable on other music devices.
The agency had given Apple until August 1 to respond to its criticism against iTunes' incompatibility with digital music players other than the iPod, and iTunes' legal terms of use.
"Apple has shown a willingness for change and dialogue but we are still far from an agreement," Bente Oeverli of the Norwegian consumer agency told AFP.
"We remain at odds over the most important things," Oeverli said.
The US company has refused to make iTunes compatible with other music players manufactured by rivals and has also rejected any responsibility for any damage incurred if iTunes damages the computer of a non-iPod user.
Both points are considered illegal in Norway.
However, Apple did agree to the consumer agency's demand that it not reserve the right to change the terms of sale after a purchase, Oeverli said.
The consumer agency said it would continue its dialogue with Apple. If no deal is reached, the US company could be called before a Norwegian court.
Several other countries are also trying to break the exclusive link between iPod music players and iTunes, including France, Britain, Sweden and Denmark.
To listen to songs downloaded from iTunes on a non-iPod music player, a user must burn the music onto a CD and then convert it to the MP3 format.
