Apple CEO Steve Jobs vowed Tuesday to repel "greedy" record companies' demands for higher music download prices, warning that any such move would encourage piracy.

Jobs, speaking before the opening of the Apple Expo in Paris, said some music majors were pushing for an increase in prices on Apple's online iTunes Music Store.

Apple's co-founder and CEO said record companies already earn more profit from songs sold through iTunes — cutting out costs of manufacturing, marketing and returns — than from those sold on CD.

"So if they want to raise the prices it just means they're getting a little greedy," he said.

As their contracts with Apple come up for renewal, music companies are seeking to improve their take from sales through the U.S. iTunes site, which charges 99 cents per song. Prices are typically higher in Europe, Japan and other regions.