So, get this... The DOJ is starting up an investigation into iTunes because supposedly Apple used its market power to make the playing field level and promote competition:

http://www.tuaw.com/2010/05/26/us-departmet-of-justice-to-investigate-apple-over-itunes/#comments

The details are that Apple supposedly threatened labels with not "featuring" (ie. special promotional positioning and consideration) specific tracks if the labels continued to engage Amazon in exclusivity deals that gave Amazon preferential pricing and lead time over everyone else for those very tracks.

Umm, right. Maybe the DOJ should be investigating the labels or even Amazon for shady shenanigans. Music labels have balls of steel, seriously. We're going to give this guy special pricing and a one day head start over everyone else, but you need to make sure to promote the same songs on your front page. Maybe the labels should just have asked Apple to put a link to Amazon's site into iTunes.


They must also be selling a lot of fricken iPads... Apple just caught up to (and slightly passed) MSFT in market cap.