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gigapet

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WHERE'S OUR MUSIC STORE!!!!????
How long are we here in Europe & the UK going to have to wait for this damn thing! I can't order photo books & I can't order music. Instead of rolling out new & improved services and opening Apple apps up to Window users, why not get the 'older' services up & running worldwide first.
 
Hmm... Guess that's an old question by now... Everyone was hoping that Apple could make it 'end of 2003', but what we've heard over the year, it's more difficult than anticipated. 'Sometime 2004' is the last thing I've heard. And it's not really Apple's fault, either.
 
Gigapet, the reason they don't have an international iTMS is because of licensing issues with the RIAA that Apple is desparately trying to iron out. Be patient, the RIAA will concede at some point and you will have your IiTMS.
 
It would have been difficult enough to negotiate licensing for the US. For iTMS Europe, Apple have to make a deal not only with the PRS/MCPS over here, but with all the royaty collection agencies in the rest of Europe. Steve mentioned early next year, I'm sure they'll be working on it. Unfortunately this isn't something that Apple can do anything about themselves (like the photo books for instance) so we'll just have to wait it out.
 
My thoughts exactly. There would not be any negotiation with the RIAA for music outside of the US, since the RIAA is the "Recording Industry Association of AMERICA" so the licensing would go through the local associations for music outside of the US, not the RIAA.

Some negotiation with the RIAA would have to be done, to say, be within the limits of the contract for exporting music to other countries, as well as having to talk to the local associations for each country. That's a tough and tedious job, not to mention tons of paperwork and red tape to work around.
 
I'm sure it's an absolute nightmare trying to wade through the myriad of complicated issues surrounding anything like this but maybe Apple could avoid this in future by either keeping us without certain services, e.g. the itms or the picture books, up-to-date on what is happening instead of a stoney silence or maybe they could release a European version of itunes say that could have the store 'bolted-on' as a download when it's ready. Again more work but I for one would feel happier having a smaller complete prog than a larger incomplete one.
 
Well, I don't know if the size of the program has anything to do with it... what happens if you try and purchase music outside the US? Are you presented with a dialog that says you can't? Does the music store even show up?

Different IP ranges are assigned to different parts of the world, and I'd bet that's how Apple is keeping out the rest of the world: simply blocking IP ranges... although I don't know much about how that works. Once the legal maze is navigated, Apple should just have to open those IP ranges for the countries involved and voila! Instant access to the store...

...and stony silence isn't a bad thing -- remember before the release of the iTMS? The rumor mills were cranking out stories of how Apple was going to PURCHASE record companies in their entirety, which was baloney -- and then they hit us with the iTMS, which is beautiful. Now, if Apple had made the information public that they were talking business with all these record companies, MANY other companies would have known and had the chance to negotiate better deals with the record companies, effectively screwing Apple's negotiations. Apple employs stony silence in order to stay ahead of innovation and other companies. It's almost a requirement to be as good as they are -- keep what they've got in store under tight wraps so no one else has the chance to see it and to give Apple the chance to make it the best.
 
Yes, non-Americans who try to purchase music through the iTMS are presented with a message that says they are not allowed to buy music in their country.

There is a way around it, though, if you purchase a gift certificate for yourself...
 
Yeah ELDiablo I know that Apple keeps it's upcoming products schtum betore the release but I'm refering to after. I'd love Mr. Jobs to give us an update while he's up there on his podium blowing his own trumpet. Anyhow, all this is merely me talking out loud. I just have this nagging suspicion that we here in Europe are never to be able to use the photo book function in iphoto and are to wait another 6 months for itms...
 
You can buy music from outside of the US, as long as you have a US address. I work abroad and download stuff on the road just fine since I use my Bank of America check card and home address.
If anyone has a mate who lives in the US, see if you can use their address as yours, then download just fine, which is still legal.
 
Monktus: So I've heard. I'm not sure exactly how you do it, though... someone else should be able to provide more insight into this.
 
gigapet, you're right, I think Apple should do something about the photo books etc. but music licensing is a big hassle, especially when its for half a million songs in a dozen different countries, we'll just have to wait it out.
 
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