Flouting of law expected to continue

For iPod owners, there are few local sources of content.

Digirama is a relatively new arrival, but a much longer-running service is www.amplifier.co.nz, which sells music by New Zealand artists.

Most owners of portable music players resort to illegal means to load the devices with music.

Copyright law, due for review this year, makes it illegal to copy CDs for any purpose.

But Steve Ford, head of Renaissance's Apple division, said that was not holding back iPod sales, which last year helped Renaissance to lift profits more than 70 per cent.

"I think Joe Public may be unaware they are breaking the law," said Ford.

It seems they have nothing to fear. Adam Holt, head of Universal Music and spokesman for the Recording Industry Association of New Zealand - and an iPod owner - said users throughout the world were copying CDs to the devices without facing prosecution.

Despite the widespread flouting of the law, the industry favoured leaving it intact, Holt said, rather than legitimising copying of CDs to portable music players, as the new law is expected to do.