Former iTunes Engineer Tells Court Apple Worked to Block Competitors

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Posted December 14, 2014 at 7:19am by iClarified Staff

During an ongoing federal antitrust case Apple is currently facing, a former iTunes engineer testified that he worked on a project that was “intended to block 100% of non-iTunes clients” and “keep out third-party players” that competed with the iPod.

The plaintiffs subpoenaed Rod Schultz, the former engineer, to show that Apple had worked to block any iTunes or iPod competitors. The plaintiffs argue that Apple's action to hurt competition ultimately raising iPod prices from 2006 to 2009.

Schultz testified in an untucked dress shirt and leather jacket, saying he was an unwilling witness. “I did not want to be talking about” his work on iTunes from 2006-2007, part of which was code-named “Candy,” he said.

Schultz, who left Apple in 2008, reiterated Apple's argument that it released many security improvements to iTunes in an effort to protect the user experience. Apple also claimed that record companies forced it to keep the device secure.

Schultz was the final witness in the case. Judge Rogers plans to send the case to the jury for deliberation sometime next week.

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Former iTunes Engineer Tells Court Apple Worked to Block Competitors

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Judge Studly - December 15, 2014 at 12:58am

Blocking non iTunes is normal if you want your things to just work and deals with other issue third party software deal with. It's part of business to protect the solution overall. It's not totally block for there are so many converters in the market to be consider only partly blocked. Not guilty.

AEB - December 14, 2014 at 10:47pm

Nicely Done! ..Well, it's their ultimate goal to be number #1 and stay there for a while - so it's a necessity, isn't it? Bottom line is "do what you have to do, to kill competition, generate and maximize profit! It's the most significant business rule! ... NOW, is it justified? ...I'll leave that to all end-users!

gamerscul9870 - December 14, 2014 at 10:56pm

Thanks to the judge, have them sum it up for everything that won't be much of their business.

iProService - December 14, 2014 at 12:49pm

What we wonder is that Samsung among others manufacturers key components for Apple, doesn't that make them privy to what Apple is always releasing next and set those manufacturers up to copy it?

gamerscul9870 - December 14, 2014 at 12:56pm

Remember back when there was an article of the chips said "Apple switching to tsmc will hurt Samsung"? In general, they can't survive without Apple, while giving them the chips they try to secretly be ahead of them like the watch that was a flop immediately.

TPC - December 14, 2014 at 3:30pm

There you got the answer. Samsung doesn't copy. Its apple who copy samsung products and components. It's really easy and profitable for Samsung to make components for apple because its something that Samsung already earlier for their own phones and now apple copying and asking Samsung to make it again for their phones. lol

Mr. Job - December 14, 2014 at 12:22pm

Thieves. That's how they reached here. Stealing and getting competition out by playing dirty games. Now the truth is out. Truth must be told. Kudos to this gentle man :)