iTMS For Australia

[Freg3000]

Despite calling it the iMusic Store, this article claims that Australia will see a localized version of the iTMS before Christmas.

http://theage.com.au/articles/2003/08/29/1062050669379.html

I think it is a good move by Apple not to just do the international market by expanding to Canada and Europe. Judging by the number of Aussies on this board, it seems Apple has a large following in Australia. Hopefully the aforementioned Europe and Canada will also come by Christmas, as well as Japan, which I haven't heard much about.

All in all, good news. :)

[OutThere]

It would make sense for Apple to target Europe soon after Australia, but the folks from Australia must be happy!:)

[MacsRgr8]

I think MWP will clarify alot.
If iTMS EU will not be imidiately available, Steve will announce when it will. Hopefully the rest of the continents too... on this side of the equator.
Just nothing for the southern hemisphere :D

[mnkeybsness]

for apple's sake, i do hope that they can get the rest of the world hooked up with ITMS as soon as possible. as well as iTunes for winblowz. no matter how much i hate to use windows, it's not going away from the world, and with the huge market for potential ITMS shoppers, apple would be rollin in with the money.

[MacsRgr8]

I even think it's a question of survival.
If Apple don't make it available for "rest of world (both hemisphers :D )", AND available for Wincrap, in about 3 years time everbody would have forgotten about this adventure....

[Kiwi-Todd]

That would be absolutely fantastic if it got localised for Aussie as I believe NZ & Aussie are pretty much the same territory for licencing.

The iPod is hugely undermarketed and unknown here in NZ - I have sold 2 of them to friends since I have owned mine and they are all like "what is that thing - wow thats cool" iTMS and ipod downunder would be a great combo for Apple!

[rainman::|:|]

After spending this much time working on overseas licensing, Apple is going to want to make a very strong showing in whatever country it unveils international iTMS in (to keep the record execs happy), so they'll not want it limited to just Mac users. By this logic, assuming the contracts are being hammered out right now, we will not see international iTMS until windows iTMS hits, whenever that will be... whether or not international iTMS is in place before that.

pnw

[Sol]

The iTunes Music Store would be welcome here anytime. Copy protected audio disks are being sold in our stores and I for one refuse to spend money on that format. The iTunes Music Store would be one way for me to purchase albums by artists like Massive Attack and Radiohead.

I hope that local artists will also be offered by Apple Australia. Limiting the music on offer to American and British artists will only limit sales here. Of course the same goes for Europe, Asia, Africa and South America.

It should also be noted that Australian broadband users have download limits imposed on them by the majority of service providers. One of the reasons the iTunes Music Store works so well is because it makes it so easy to browse the catalogue and make an impulse purchase. When users have to think about how much they can download in a month it takes away some of that fun.