Apple Computer has said a report of labour conditions at its iPod plant in China found workers did more than 60 hours a week a third of the time.
Staff making the world’s most popular MP3 player also worked more than six consecutive days 25% of the time.
Apple said the hours were “excessive” and said its supplier would now be enforcing a “normal” 60-hour week
The French parliament has backed plans to give consumers more choice over music downloads from the internet.
MPs backed a draft law to force Apple, Sony and Microsoft to share their proprietary copy-protection systems by 296 to 193 votes.
The aim is to ensure that digital music can be played on any player, regardless of its format or source
A user of Apple’s iTunes music service is suing the firm saying it is unfair he can only use an iPod to play songs.
He says Apple is breaking anti-competition laws in refusing to let other music players work with the site.
Apple, which opened its online store in 2003 after launching the iPod in 2001, uses technology to ensure each song bought only plays on the iPod
The Office of Fair Trading (OFT) has referred Apple’s iTunes service to the European Commission on grounds that it overcharges UK customers.
The move follows a complaint from Which? that iTunes charges UK users 20% more than those in France and Germany.
Which?, formerly the Consumer Association, also complained that the UK customers were barred from logging on to the French and German sites