Apple to lower British iTunes pricing

LONDON, Jan. 9 (UPI) -- U.S. computer giant Apple said Wednesday it would change its iTunes pricing policy in Britain after being pressured by the European Union.

Apple said it would lower its British prices within six months to bring songs and albums brought at its online music store into line with what customers in the rest of the European Union pay, The Times of London reported.

The European Commission had been pressuring Apple to change its pricing policy, initiating an investigation into Apple's charging British customers up to 10 percent more to download tunes than the rest of the EU countries. The investigation concerned deals signed by Apple with Vivendi's Universal Music Group, Sony BMG Music Entertainment, EMI Group and Warner Music Group that outline price differences in the continent.

Because of the price changes, Apple said it would "reconsider" contracts with the record companies unless the labels lower prices for British distribution to align with the price Apple pays for European sales.

Steve Jobs, Apple chief executive, said in a statement the changes moves were part of an effort to create a "pan-European marketplace" for music. "We hope every major record label will take a pan-European view of pricing," he said.