France challenges Apple to iTunes face-off

The French Trade Minister has claimed that Apple should have expected resistance

Legislation that will force Apple to relinquish control of its Fairplay digital rights management (DRM) technology is inevitable, according to French Trade Minister Christine Lagarde.

A report by the Reuters news agency quoted Lagarde as saying that Apple should have anticipated the legislation that France is about to adopt.

"Anytime a company restricts competition in a market it gets the attention of regulating agencies. We have to play by the rules of the game," Lagarde told Reuters.

The French National Assembly adopted a copyright reform bill in March that prohibits DRM technology from blocking any "legitimate use" by consumers, such as restricting content to a single brand or model of media player.

The law would force major changes on Apple as well as its competitors such as Sony and Microsoft.

Apple's control over its Fairplay DRM technology has allowed it to become a dominant player in the markets for digital music downloads and media players.

Apple has lashed out against the law and said that it would lead to "state-sponsored piracy".

It has been suggested that Apple could respond by retreating from the French market. But Lagarde argued that the region is too important for Apple to ignore.