Apple iPod antitrust trial: Consumers say iTunes was monopoly

The San Jose Mercury News reports:

It's been shuffling through the courts for a decade, a class-action suit that challenges Apple's iPod and iTunes grip on the digital song market. This week, it's time to face the music.

In a federal court trial beginning Wednesday with jury selection, Apple will try to fend off allegations that it violated antitrust laws through tech maneuvers that once restricted music downloads for iPods to its iTunes store.

While Apple abandoned the restrictions in question years ago, the stakes are still high -- damages could exceed $1 billion if antitrust violations are proven, and an adverse verdict would amount to a black eye for the company's past business practices.

Who's preventing anyone from getting into the MP3 market.