Apple iTunes Norway - End of April?

[MacRumors]

Forbruker.no reports (http://forbruker.no/pengenedine/dataogelektro/article1012673.ece) that according to a Norwegian music industry magazine (Faro Journalen), Apple will be launching iTunes in Norway on April 28th.

The editor of Faro Journalen, claims he has confirmation from four music industry insiders, three of them naming April 28 as launch date for iTunes in Norway, and the fourth saying it will be available in that time period.

Another article with the same information can be found at dagbladet.no (http://www.dagbladet.no/kultur/2005/04/08/428281.html).

[liketom]

good news if true - more the better

[BornAgainMac]

iTunes anniversary coming up. More countries will look good on the resume.

[Zaty]

It looks like April 28 will be good day for many countries. Hopefully, Switzerland will also get its iTMS on that day.

[mcadam]

If norway gets it but not Denmark I'll be pissed. It's a promising rumor though - would make sense if they introduced it to all of scandinavia in one go.

A

[gekko513]

I'm sure this also means iTunes Sweden and Denmark, at the very least. Oh, and I forgot to say that I think this is great. Finally I can stop buying CDs.

[Poff]

This is great news. For those who wants a translated version of the article, head over to clickety (www.dhguitars.com/test2.html).

tranexp.com is used to translate it, but tranexp atleast wouldn't let me use their free web-based translation directly from their site (Safari on 10.2.8) so I coded a small web-page to make it work.

[Diatribe]

I mean I can understand you all get excited but I never quite get the point behind the greatness of iTMS. Sure it's nice to have a place where I can buy a track without the CD but ONLY buying from the iTMS???
Besides the often talked about quality issue of 128AAC the lack of songs is a big downer. I'd buy there more often for the occasional song but they are lacking so much.
700,000 sounds like a lot but in reality it really isn't. Double that and you could actually find ALL the stuff you want.

Anyway, nice for the people that actually use it, I'll keep my fingers crossed for you guys.

[audunr]

Woho, our fart-sized country gets some attention!

Have a nice day,

Audun

[Platform]

Very good, even though I proberly won't use it :p :rolleyes:

[JFreak]

If norway gets it but not Denmark I'll be pissed. It's a promising rumor though - would make sense if they introduced it to all of scandinavia in one go.

scandinavian itms already exists as finland already has it - it is only the rest of you who are still waiting :D :D :D

[MacsRgr8]

If norway gets it but not Denmark I'll be pissed....

Eh... are you one of those who actually rated this as "negative"? :D

[audunr]

scandinavian itms already exists as finland already has it - it is only the rest of you who are still waiting :D :D :D

If Finland was a part of Scandinavia, that is.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scandinavia

"These alternative meanings are considered incorrect in Scandinavia, and occasionally some people may take offense by such usage in English."

None taken. :-)

Have a nice day,

Audun

[samh004]

Well I certainly hope Australia is included in this somewhere, we have been waiting ages over here and I would very much like to see the store actually happen.

[Wardofsky]

Well I certainly hope Australia is included in this somewhere, we have been waiting ages over here and I would very much like to see the store actually happen.

Me too! It was originally thought to happen somewhere in January, something about the new privacy policy being updated to include iTMS details made it even more realistic + they've removed the splash page of "you country is currently iTMSless"...

If it does happen, I wonder what the reaction would be, surely it would beat the WMA only Bigpond service.

[Windowlicker]

If norway gets it but not Denmark I'll be pissed. It's a promising rumor though - would make sense if they introduced it to all of scandinavia in one go.

A

Not all of Scandinavia.. Finland already has iTMS! :D (sorry)

[Mitthrawnuruodo]

This would be nice... I need a place to get those hard to find tracks that they don't have at my local public library... :D

I would be more optimistic if the leader of Apple Norway was just a bit more revealing... all he said was "we're not commenting on these kind of assertations", not unexpected, but a little hint would have been nice... ;)

[Mitthrawnuruodo]

Not all of Scandinavia.. Finland already has iTMS! :D (sorry)We've already established that Finland is NOT part of Scandinavia... :rolleyes:

[Windowlicker]

We've already established that Finland is NOT part of Scandinavia... :rolleyes:

Jealous? Haha! This is gonna end in a war.

[Mitthrawnuruodo]

Jealous? Haha! This is gonna end in a war.
Not really too jealous, as I've quadrupled my iTunes collection for free, and legally, using my public library... :cool:

And I don't think a war is necessary... but I do find it intriguing that two Finns are oblivious to what Scandinavia is, and believe that Finland is a part of it... someone's not having geography at school...? :p

[MCCFR]

Well, 28th April is the second anniversary of the launch of iTMS so it seems reasonable to expect a) some territorial expansion and b) some functional upgrades for iTMS if not for iTunes altogether.

[dakis]

It looks like April 28 will be good day for many countries. Hopefully, Switzerland will also get its iTMS on that day.

Hi,

It's looking more and more like other non-EU or non-Euro countries in Europe will soon be getting a store. It's already been confirmed by Apple Switzerland and Apple Europe that Switzerland will have its store by the end of the year - why not launch it together with Norway on the 28th?
As you know, I've never really been a believer - but now I'm starting to think that it's actually going to happen for us Swiss pretty darn soon.

dakis

[yoak]

Just heard it on the radio. That´s great news.
Now it won´t just be one of the NORDIC countries that have iTunes, one of the scandinavian countries will have as well.
I am surprised that Sweden and Denmark are not mentioned, as their population are far more numerous than Norway.

[curmi]

Currently, if you go to "Choose Store" on iTMS, you get a display with all the flags of the current iTMS countries. There are 15, displayed as 5 rows x 3 columns.

Apple is rumoured to add Australia - making 16 countries. This can be displayed as 4x4 - though everything has to shrink a bit to fit 4 across. 8 x 2 or 2 x 8 will not look pleasing to the eye, and require scrolling, or really small fonts.

Apple is rumoured to add Norway - making 17 countries. You can't make a symmetrical grid from that, so the "Choose Store" page won't look as pleasing to the eye. No way!

So, Apple has to add a third store. That makes 18 countries. 6 rows x 3 columns.

QED. :)

Ideally that third store should be Japan. There is a serious lack of Asian content in the iTMS (like - none), and Japan is a very big market for Apple. But no rumours of Japan, so this is unlikely.

I really wish Apple could organise things so we could buy from any country. Once we get the Australian iTMS, that will be great. But I would love to be able to buy J-Pop stuff from the Japanese iTMS rather than having to import CDs from Japan.

[devman]

wow, great! Adds a little bit of weight to the Australian rumor (which I want to be true, but have been burnt so many times before). Hopefully there will be other countries too. The more the merrier!

[Patrik_L]

there are several reports that indicate not only Norway, but also denmark, Sweden and Switzerland will get iTMS April 28.

Swedish site 99mac.se has a report about it, and they say that a person working for one of the big labels in Sweden has confirmed it. Also a person on idg.se says he has sources who says that Apple employees in these three countries has been trying out iTMS for a while with their own credit cards.

the country warning in iTunes has been gone for a while, and itunes.se was recently bought by Apple. It now links to apple.com.

So; hopefully iTMS will grow bigger in late April

[gekko513]

Well, both the Swiss and the Norwegians are RICH - in countries, where teenagers are able to spend 4$ and more for a cell-phone ringtone and where those extremely expensive ringtones sell better then the actual songs on CD, iTMS will be quite successful.
I'm not so sure about Norway ... Teenagers, and most other people for that matter, here are not usually able to comprehend that there is anything wrong with piracy and will most likely think you're crazy if you suggest to them that they ought to pay for the music they download.

[Poff]

I'm not so sure about Norway ... Teenagers, and most other people for that matter, here are not usually able to comprehend that there is anything wrong with piracy and will most likely think you're crazy if you suggest to them that they ought to pay for the music they download.

I guess that pretty much reflects the rest of the world... :D

iPods have really taken off here the past year, iTMS must be the next logical step.

[Mac]

Born and bread Norwegian - I do not think so.....OR?

We are outside the EU.
We have a separate currency (NOK-kroner).
We have 4 mill. citizens.
We have total anarchy in our legal system as far as DRM is concerned
(yeah, go DVD-Jon.....NOT!) - probably fixed by 2006.
We have more than 40% of our sold music from local Norwegian artists.

but

We are the richest people in the world (yes, richer than Switzerland).
We have the wealthiest youth demographic buyer potential in probably all of Europe.
We have very high language skills in both the old and the young part of the population - read English skill that is.
We DO NOT dub our tv shows or films - they are subtitled (meaning you can actually watch "24" without listening to 'Herman the German' saying 'was sagst du?').

No, we are not even close to Australia and Japan in Apple popularity and density.
No, we are not many.
No, we are strangely not the first choice in a world-wide conglomerate.

YES, and that is most important, Apple will make money here. Lots of it!

So bring it on. We are ready!
:)

[silvermk]

Born and bread Norwegian - I do not think so.....OR?
So bring it on. We are ready!
:)

I have to add that Norway had 6% up in album sales (having one of the worlds highest densities of people connectet to the net) in 2004. Everyone else went down.

[gekko513]

Well, if it does come, I hope Apple Norway has the sense to actually advertise a little for iPod and iTunes. I haven't seen any iPod ads yet, but there has been lots of ads for the Creative Zen Micro players lately.

Oh wait, I think I did see an iPod ad on a scaffold near the central station in Oslo last fall :D

[davey-nb]

Go Scandinavia !... maybe I'll rent "Song of Norway" this weekend to share the good vibrations.
After all, isn't Florence Henderson Norwegian? Or is she a Brady? I always get those two things mixed up... oh well. Herring stew and Akvavit for supper tonight then.
Hyggelig å treffe deg! :)

[~loserman~]

Hmmm.

I wonder what they will charge for the songs.
Since the store will operate in Norway will anyone be able to "fjord" them :)

[gekko513]

Hmmm.

I wonder what they will charge for the songs.
Since the store will operate in Norway will anyone be able to "fjord" them :)
The WMA music stores that already exist in Norway seem to charge NOK 10 = $1.58 including VAT ($1.26 excluding VAT).

(It's funny to see your guys try out your norwegian vocabulary ;) )

[~loserman~]

(It's funny to see your guys try out your norwegian vocabulary ;) )

Glad to amuse....
I love bad puns.

[ErikGrim]

"The Scandinavian countries are Norway, Sweden and Denmark, which recognize each other as parts of Scandinavia. The collective label "Scandinavia" reflects the cultural similarity, and the strong historical ties, between these countries despite their political independence.

The usage and meaning of the term outside Scandinavia is somewhat ambiguous:
Finland, the Faroe Islands, and Iceland are sometimes counted as parts of Scandinavia.
In a German mindset, Norway, Sweden and Finland are usually included, but Denmark is not.
In an British mindset, Norway, Sweden, and Denmark are usually included, often with the addition of Iceland, Finland, and sometimes even Greenland.
These alternative meanings are considered incorrect in Scandinavia, and occasionally some people may take offense by such usage in English."

I had no idea that Finland considered themselves part of Scandinavia when none of the Scandinavian countries do :p

And being a Norwegian living in Australia I hope that either of the stores open soon :)

[dubbz]

I hope it true. I doubt I'll be 'buying' a lot (as I'm no fan of DRM), but just getting iTMS Norway is nice so that the WMA stores get some competition. Plus, it's never nice to get left out. ;)

[iAlan]

JAPAN...
the second largest music buying population in the world

[MyLeftNut]

You know, I have no problem with the Norweigians and the Swedes et all getting the music store...great bunch of people, know quite a few of them myself...

But bloody hell, what is it about the music industry here holding things up. I mean Apple obviously wants this to happen and the customers do, not to mention we are on a credit binge here in OZ....********* corporate whores...just wanting their excessive share of the pie... for nothing.

:mad:

Rant over. Sorry.

[Platform]

We've already established that Finland is NOT part of Scandinavia... :rolleyes:

Not spam the thread but the reson for this is because so many people have different views on what is Scandinavia. Some books say one thing the other say another :confused: :rolleyes:

We have

Norway, Denmark, Sweden

Norway, Denmark, Sweden, Finland

Norway, Sweden, Finland

and even

Norway, Denmark, Sweden, Finland, Iceland

[d.perel]

The WMA music stores that already exist in Norway seem to charge NOK 10 = $1.58 including VAT ($1.26 excluding VAT).

(It's funny to see your guys try out your norwegian vocabulary ;) )
That seems a bit expensive...How have ITMS sales been doing in Europe/non-north america anyway? Maybe apple does not expand to all of the littler countries so fast because it will not pay off as fast in terms of songs and iPods sold

[gekko513]

More confirmation from nrk.no. They write that Phonofile has announced last week that they have prepared a catalog of 35.000 norwegians songs for inclusion in the iTunes Music Store.

More songs will be added as soon as other record companies sign up.

[gekko513]

There are more interesting stories on this on nrk.no. In another article that was actually published in November 2004 link (http://www.nrk.no/musikk/4225451.html), Larry Bringsfjord from Phonofile says that musikkonline.no (one of the first online music stores in Norway) has seen very small sales numbers and that they have been working since early fall to get their music included in the iTMS catalogue in order to increase sales.

The interesting part is that he says that even though musikkonline.no hasn't been a commercial success, the work they've done might still be useful because they can offer iTunes a catalogue prepared for digital distribution where the rights have been sorted out and a built in system for royalties.

If iTunes Music Store is coming to Norway thanks to Phonofile and their initiative, it could mean that Sweden and Denmark will still be left out if the rights and a system for royalties hasn't been sorted out there yet.

[curmi]

Page 1 now says iTMS Australia in mid-June.

It never ends. Eventually it has to get here, so just keep adding a month or two every month or two and you'll get it right.

[Poff]

That seems a bit expensive...How have ITMS sales been doing in Europe/non-north america anyway? Maybe apple does not expand to all of the littler countries so fast because it will not pay off as fast in terms of songs and iPods sold

If you think this is expensive, you should try to buy some Norwegian cd's. News generally won't cost you any less than 160 NOK = $25

On the typical 10-song cd, you'll save 60NOK which is almost $10. :eek:
Old cd's are another story, of course.


I can't wait to get iTMS Norway.

[lssmit02]

Norway, Sweden, Finland
Scandinavian uden Danmark? Den tror jeg ikke på, du. Men måske var danskeren de spurgt for fuld til at svar :)

[Mitthrawnuruodo]

Not spam the thread but the reson for this is because so many people have different views on what is Scandinavia. Some books say one thing the other say another :confused: :rolleyes:

We have

Norway, Denmark, Sweden

Norway, Denmark, Sweden, Finland

Norway, Sweden, Finland

and even

Norway, Denmark, Sweden, Finland, Iceland
From Wikipedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scandinavia) (could probably chosen some other source, but this one seems good enough):The Scandinavian countries are Norway, Sweden and Denmark, which recognize each other as parts of Scandinavia. The collective label "Scandinavia" reflects the cultural similarity, and the strong historical ties, between these countries despite their political independence.
Then they continue:The usage and meaning of the term outside Scandinavia is somewhat ambiguous:

* Finland, the Faroe Islands, and Iceland are sometimes counted as parts of Scandinavia.
* In a German mindset, Norway, Sweden and Finland are usually included, but Denmark is not.
* In an British mindset, Norway, Sweden, and Denmark are usually included, often with the addition of Iceland, Finland, and sometimes even Greenland.

These alternative meanings are considered incorrect in Scandinavia, and occasionally some people may take offense by such usage in English.

The term the Nordic countries is used unambiguously for the Scandinavian kingdoms of Norway, Sweden, Denmark, and the republics of Finland and Iceland.
Just that some believe something doesn't make it any more right... and I don't think it's spamming to point out that something has been discussed already... :rolleyes:

[JFreak]

I had no idea that Finland considered themselves part of Scandinavia when none of the Scandinavian countries do :p

i had no idea norwegians have so poor knowledge in history :) you do remember that finland was a part of sweden not so long ago, right? that's why finland has always been considered a part of scandinavia.

language is very different, though, so different opinions are understandable. one cannot however rewrite history...

[gekko513]

i had no idea norwegians have so poor knowledge in history :) you do remember that finland was a part of sweden not so long ago, right? that's why finland has always been considered a part of scandinavia.

language is very different, though, so different opinions are understandable. one cannot however rewrite history...
No, Sweden has always been considered a part of Scandinavia. When Finland was a part of Sweden I guess Finland would have to be counted as part of Scandinavia, but now you're not a part of Sweden and you're not a part of Scandinavia anymore. I know it can be hard but sometimes you just gotta accept the facts no matter how tough it is ;) Go find some other friends. Maybe Estland, Latvia and Litauen will let you into the Baltics. :D

Why are we discussing the definition of Scandinavia anyway? We just want the iTMS.

[JFreak]

Why are we discussing the definition of Scandinavia anyway?

because some of you are so stubborn ;) finland has never been part of baltic countries, but has scandinavian history and therefore a part of scandinavia even if we have been independent country for some time.

www.goscandinavia.com posts finland before norway, but that's just marketing hype anyway ;)