Apple Lawsuit: iTunes Owner Deleted Competitors' Music from iPods

Citing security reasons, Apple admitted to deleting songs on iPod that users got from stores other than iTunes.

The disclosure was made in a district court in California which is hearing a decade-old antitrust case against the iPod maker. Augustin Farrugia, Apple's security director said the company blocked music from other service providers fearing security threats and hackers, BBC reported.

Lawyers for petitioners charged Apple of updating its iTunes software between 2007 and 2009 to keep music from other online stores out of the market. Users who tried to sync iPods with music from external services received a message asking them to restore their devices to factory settings. Restoration deleted all music downloaded from non-iTunes music stores.

According to IB Times, Farrugia defended Apple's move of keeping users in the dark by telling the court that the company did not want to confuse users with too much information. He further said that Apple was disturbed by hackers who hacked iPhone firmware. Apprehensions of security were also shared by Apple co-founder Steve Jobs, who reportedly in a mail to his software chief reportedly pointed to hackers.

The Cupertino giant is faced with damage claims of $ 350 million, which would be tripled under federal law if charges against it are proved, Engadget reported.

Further into the trial, jurors would be presented with a video testimony of Jobs, filmed six months before his death in 2011. An economist is also set to show the court that Apple sold iPods at inflated prices, BBC mentions.