In case you're not aware, Apple has been facing a lawsuit over accusations that it deleted non-iTunes bought music from customers' iPods. So far, Apple has said that this was done for security means to protect the user and device.
In the latest development, former iTunes engineer Rod Schultz has testified that he was part of the team that worked on this feature, reports The Wall Street Journal.
According to Schultz, the aim of his project, codenamed 'Candy', was to block "100 per cent of non-iTunes clients" and to "keep out third-party players". The plaintiffs claim this was a way of boosting the price of iPods between 2006 and 2009.
Candy crushed
The plaintiffs further tried to submit an academic paper on Apple's "secret war" written by Schultz, in which he wrote "Apple was locking the majority of music downloads in its devices." However the paper was not accepted as evidence.
But speaking outside the court room, Schultz told WSJ that his work was necessary for digital copyright protection but later created "market dominance" for the iPod.
The plaintiffs are seeking $350 million in damages which may triple under antitrust laws. With Schultz the last witness in the case, jury deliberations are expected to be made next week.
