iTunes Australia Music Store — Finally

[Veljo]

Yeah I think the iTunes Music Store in Australia is gonna be a complete failure. $1.69 per song is crap, I expected around $1.30 or something. Albums at $16.99? I can go buy one brand new from Kmart for $19.99 and have a copy of it in front of me. Not to mention I was looking forward to buying some songs, _all_ of which happen to be under Sony BMG.

If you ask me opening this store in Australia won't do Apple any favors.

[symphonix]

Well, I've just seen the iTunes music store gift cards in a couple of Australia's biggest supermarket chains. I think it will be successful, because:
- The price is a fraction of what we're paying for CD-singles, which mostly go for $5-10, compared to $1.69 this ain't too bad.
- The only other legal music download service here, Bigpond, sucks. Its store is a horror to navigate and most songs cost significantly more than that price anyway.
- The gift cards are turning up in all Coles-Myer stores, which includes some of our biggest supermarket chains.
- Lots of people own iPods, and finally ...
- Lots of people out there would rather own their music legitimately as opposed to pirated. Hence, they'll go with the cheapest, easiest legal option: iTunes.

Seriously, though, I will be grabbing a $20 card tomorrow and trying it out.

Oh, and to those saying $1.69 will be a failure, this is only 25% more than the US price, and that has been a runaway success.

[sirstaunch]

Excellent! I can't wait to get home tonight. there are so many songs i want to download and ones that the stores in the shops don't have anymore.

Question: Can you download other songs from around the world? eg: from labels in the US? or Europe?

I previewed an album from the US store, when I signed in it said my account is only valid in Australia and clicking OK will take you to Australia store, guess it's still the record companys copywrite issues, who knows...

[Mikuro]

Yeah, each store is its own separate entity. You can't buy from the American store outside of America, or the Japanese store outside of Japan, etc. This is not likely to change any time soon, unfortunately. The record companies are very territorial. Like crocodiles, only more bloodthirsty.

[Quicksilver]

I ask this question because I want to purchase music that is produced or made in Germany or America not just Australian songs by Sony. I could be wrong but i'm also assuming that music only labeled to "Sony BMG Australia" is currently not available, but music through "Sony Music" in America is available?

[smithy]

Yeah, each store is its own separate entity. You can't buy from the American store outside of America, or the Japanese store outside of Japan, etc. This is not likely to change any time soon, unfortunately. The record companies are very territorial. Like crocodiles, only more bloodthirsty.

Uh, i hate to disagree with you.. but on this case i have to. My friend purchased out of the American store of which he is from America, from Australia. It just goes on your Apple ID, and your credit card. Not anything to do with your IP or similiar.

[fryke]

Yes, but then he's American, has a US-based credit card and an Apple-ID that IDs him as an American. What Mikuro clearly meant is that each country's iTMS has licenses for music to sell to a specific country and that country _only_. Even in the European Community, where this should less be the case, it's still the case.
However: Sony BMG America/Sony BMG Australia - Apple has to make contracts, have licenses, same story... It depends whether "they" want to push the songs in your country.

[sirstaunch]

For those Australians interested that don't have a creditcard to purchase, you can get a Visa from St George, it's not credit, it's a prepaid debit card, so if you don't have money in your account, you can't use your card, simple rule, and hey you don't get into dedt then.

Bendigo Bank have prepaid Mastercards, but if you have bad credit they do a credit check on you, which St George don't, cool

But of course there is the iTunes gift card which someone mentioned seeing in stores already.

BTW If I wanted an album imported from Over Seas record stores could order them in through the appropriate record companies, so while Apple hasn't got contracts with sony and BGM, Apple store cannot get us the albums right now because the contracts arn't made.


So I think Smithy, the song your friend purchased from America to Australia must of been already approved, which I think at this time there wouldn't be to many aproved songs as yet, till Sony and BGM come to the contracts.

Could be wrong, just another staunched feeling