Apple Launches iTunes Store in Mexico

[MacRumors]

http://www.macrumors.com/images/macrumorsthreadlogo.gif (http://www.macrumors.com/2009/08/04/apple-launches-itunes-store-in-mexico/)

Apple today announced the launch of the iTunes Store in Mexico (http://www.apple.com/pr/library/2009/08/04itunes.html). Continuing Apple's tradition of providing international stores with localized collections, the Mexican store features local artists including Paulina Rubio, Vicente Fernández and Zoé and a wide range of international artists including Shakira, Lady Gaga, Green Day and thousands more.

"The iTunes Store in Mexico is off to a great start with music from all of the majors and hundreds of indie labels," said Eddy Cue, Apple’s vice president of Internet Services. "And the revolutionary App Store in Mexico gets bigger and better with great new apps using amazing new features, and we can't wait to see what developers come up with next."

Apple says most songs will be priced at 12 pesos, with most albums priced at 120 pesos. The announcement does not include TV shows or movies.

Article Link: Apple Launches iTunes Store in Mexico (http://www.macrumors.com/2009/08/04/apple-launches-itunes-store-in-mexico/)

[Eidorian]

I wonder what the impact will be.

[jcgnu]

I wonder what the impact will be.

Considering the fact that 30 million Mexicans are connected to the Internet, I'd say quite a big one, when some European countries don't even have that many inhabitants.

[goodcow]

Si Se Puede.

[apparatchik]

A long time waiting for this, i'll say however that if the catalog is going to be made up of mainly mainstream commercial artists (as the ones mentioned in the article) the attractiveness and succesfulness will be limited, as complete collections of hundreds of mp3 cds of those artists can be bought on the subway and streets of mexico for 10 pesos (less than 1 dollar, and less than the said 12 pesos per track). The p2p programs like limewire also offer for a lot of those 30 million users a free alternative...

I for once would happily buy jazz, reggae, fusion music that i know for sure i cannot get easily by other means with the great quality and safeness of the iTunes store.

A great news nonetheless.

[slcoss]

Oh Thank God! Finally we have an iTunes Store! That's what I'm talking 'bout! :p

I noticed this yesterday when I was about to download a new App, and suddenly I saw artists songs and albums priced in pesos :)

[catracho]

Nice.

Now, the rest of Latin America is waiting Apple.

Where are the Latin America Apple stores?
Where is the Latin America AppleCare Support?
Where is Apple Online Store for many countries in Latin America?

Still, a lot of work to do Apple..

[iSee]

Hola, Me-he-co!

[jcgnu]

Hola, Me-he-co!

Hola, Ah-meh-go! :D

[emulator]

I wonder what the impact will be.
more ppl will browse itunes while eating fajitas.

[Doctor Q]

Why did it take until now for them to open a store for Mexico?

[Cask]

Well I have been waiting for this. Unfortunately it doesn't offer any TV shows or movies, so I'll have to keep buying US Store gift cards to get those. And content is somewhat of a mess right now, hope it gets better.

[accrama]

A very late, but VERY welcome openning. :D

$12 pesos per track is good, and the whole album prices are competitive.
Surely better than the Mexican alternative: Mixup Digital, which was charging the same per track, but the sum of all tracks as the price of the album (lame idea :mad:).

I hope it battles against piracy in Mexico, at least in a certain demographic group.

Titles in classical music are very limited though...compared to the US Store...bugger. :(

[mcbarre]

Is a really great news for many people in Mexico that were waiting for so long for the store to be available!
I stop buying when they stop accepting PayPal accounts with a credit card issued in Mexico, and I didn't have no other options until today!
Thanks to Mac Rummors where I first got the good news!

[idsoftware]

Always waiting for this... thank you apple for listening the Mexico petitions regarding Itunes Store...

now the question is if my apple id..(US) will work here...

need to check that.


but overall is a great news... I will buy from this store as I like it. a lot.

[Eidorian]

Considering the fact that 30 million Mexicans are connected to the Internet, I'd say quite a big one, when some European countries don't even have that many inhabitants.

A long time waiting for this, i'll say however that if the catalog is going to be made up of mainly mainstream commercial artists (as the ones mentioned in the article) the attractiveness and succesfulness will be limited, as complete collections of hundreds of mp3 cds of those artists can be bought on the subway and streets of mexico for 10 pesos (less than 1 dollar, and less than the said 12 pesos per track). The p2p programs like limewire also offer for a lot of those 30 million users a free alternative..Which is why I made the comment on how much of an impact an iTunes Store for Mexico is going to make.

[memo90061]

Always waiting for this... thank you apple for listening the Mexico petitions regarding Itunes Store...

now the question is if my apple id..(US) will work here...

need to check that.


but overall is a great news... I will buy from this store as I like it. a lot.

I would like to know that too but I doubt it. Hmm.

[jcgnu]

Which is why I made the comment on how much of an impact an iTunes Store for Mexico is going to make.

Piracy is not an exclusively Mexican problem, but a global one, although Mexico has one of the highest levels of piracy. While this is true, when you talk about piracy, you're not considering P2P downloads which are still very popular in many countries where piracy levels are not too high.

If you take the amount of people who buy piracy or use P2P in Mexico and compare it to the same people in other countries, Mexico's would then not be far greater. Plus, you would have to consider the fact that many of us, like me, download music illegaly or use foreign stores (mainly the American one) because there was no good legal online store before iTunes but are willing to go legal.

But even if you don't believe this, out of 100 million people in this country, the amount of them who would make use of a legal online music store is pretty big in absolute numbers, again, considering that many countries in Europe have way less population than that of Mexico and less people connected to the Internet, therefore, less possible clients. To sum up, it's like It happens in China. Even though they have the highest piracy levels in the world, they are the #1 cell phone market in the world, because their total population is far grater then that of any country in the world.

Time will tell, but other online stores have proven the interest of Mexicans in the idea of legally purchasing music online.

IMO.

[memo90061]

Se puede hacer cuenta en iTunes sin tener que poner una tarjeta de credito! Hice una cuenta y estoy bajando la cancion gratis de la semana.

[maldoblaz]

A very late, but VERY welcome openning. :D

$12 pesos per track is good, and the whole album prices are competitive.
Surely better than the Mexican alternative: Mixup Digital, which was charging the same per track, but the sum of all tracks as the price of the album (lame idea :mad:).

I hope it battles against piracy in Mexico, at least in a certain demographic group.

Titles in classical music are very limited though...compared to the US Store...bugger. :(

It's been a long wait. It took at least two years for the Apple iTunes executives to negotiate with SACM ( Mexican Authors Guild ) which is a strong monopolic influence. They tried to negotiate a percentage that was impossible for Apple to deal with. Somehow they set an agreement :confused:

But there's more... A large international Mexican company wich manages Mixup store (ya saben quien) initiated negotiations with Apple trying to partner with them and by surprise, they started it's own digital store, leaving Apple behind.

Anyway, welcome iTunes music store Mexico. Maybe this service will not stop piracy and P2P downloads, but will surely provide first class legal content for all of us.

[Zaci]

AL FIN. When I saw the article yesterday in the newspaper (http://eleconomista.com.mx/notas-online/tecnociencia/2009/07/30/aterriza-itunes-music-store-mexico-4-agosto) I thought it was another try to gives us some hope, but iTunes Store -Music- it’s finally available today and Green Day-21 Guns was my first song. I just need to try to create a ringtone and see if they are available as well.

I hope it battles against piracy in Mexico, at least in a certain demographic group.

I agree with you; it will help against piracy in certain levels.

[cdcastillo]

When I first read this I almost yelled (all filled with emotion), however, I then realized I no longer live in México... lame...
:(

[milxar]

But why there's no Russian iTunes Music Store yet (142M population)?

[KingYaba]

But why there's no Russian iTunes Music Store yet (142M population)?

Probably the same reason why Mexico went without one for all this time.

[Ericatomars]

this is cool but what about movies and such? I honestly thought itunes would already be in Mexico...

[lalcan]

After last week's report that Mexico holds the 7th place in number of iPod Touch sales, way ahead of Japan, Korea or Italy, i'd say it was about <insert your favorite bad word in present participle format here> time!

And just last monday i left Mexico... Well, at least i still have a valid address.. hehe!

Way to go Apple!

[Axl Rose]

what the hell..lol took em long enough i thought that woulda been the second place to have it open up

[lfhdez]

more ppl will browse itunes while eating fajitas.

Fajitas are something made up in the United States...

...Arracheras, on the other hand....


but ANYWAY, back to intelligent conversation, I'm glad Mexico now has this option as well.

[g-7]

What about Poland? Or maybe just one iTunes Store for the whole EU?

[ToM7]

i hope in israel will be one itunes store :apple::rolleyes:

[weckart]

But why there's no Russian iTunes Music Store yet (142M population)?

Because Russian copyright law is very lax, which is why the likes of mp3sparks.com (formally allofmp3.com) are thriving. No Western label will authorise downloads in Russia until the law is reformed. This has nothing to do with Apple.

[idsoftware]

I would like to know that too but I doubt it. Hmm.

I just did my first purchase in the ITUNES Store. and it was very simple and quick...

works like a charm... and you need to have a new ID. beause mine (US) dint worked as expected.

Im happy with the service. hope this is useful for you guys.


ID

[memo90061]

Did you pay with a US credit card?

[idsoftware]

Did you pay with a US credit card?

Hi, no I didnt pay with an US Credit Card. was from my current credit card issued in Mexico.


Cheers!

ID

[felixelgato]

Is about time, I´m Mexican and I have been using a US iTunes store account since 2 years ago; I had to ask people to purchase prepaid iTunes Store cards every time I know some one went there, thats because the Mexican credit cards didn't work... Lets see ...

[tempusfugit]

Nice.

Now, the rest of Latin America is waiting Apple.

Where are the Latin America Apple stores?
Where is the Latin America AppleCare Support?
Where is Apple Online Store for many countries in Latin America?

Still, a lot of work to do Apple..


No offense but that doesn't seem like a very wise decision to me. A premium-priced computer company in Latin America?

Sure some people will afford apple products, but not like the American, European, and select Asian middle class can....

sounds like a disastrous business plan to me.

[leomac08]

SI SE PUEDE

WHERE IS THE EL SALVADOR itunes store???????;):D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D

5,748,113 MILLION habitants!!!!

I WANT TO SEE AN APPLE STORE IN Belize, El Salvador, Guatemala, Costa Rica, Honduras, Nicaragua, Panama, and all of south america!!!!!!!!!!!!

[leomac08]

No offense but that doesn't seem like a very wise decision to me. A premium-priced computer company in Latin America?

Sure some people will afford apple products, but not like the American, European, and select Asian middle class can....

sounds like a disastrous business plan to me.

At least an apple store in the local international airports, for central and south america,

Sure, most of these countries are third world, but we need to modernize.:D

[Bjohnson33]

this is cool but what about movies and such? I honestly thought itunes would already be in Mexico...

I don't think movies are available in many countries... just the US and UK, as far as I'm aware.

[bobrik]

What about Poland? Or maybe just one iTunes Store for the whole EU?
Yeah, I still remember how European media were explicitely invited to watch a keynote by Steve Jobs, and then nothing happened (like if they wanted to announce EU-wide store, and then some deal broke in the last minute). Still waiting for a Czech iTunes store, EU-wide store would be even better (that's what single market should be in practice).

[173080]

No offense but that doesn't seem like a very wise decision to me. A premium-priced computer company in Latin America?

Sure some people will afford apple products, but not like the American, European, and select Asian middle class can....

sounds like a disastrous business plan to me.

You'd be surprised. There is quite a bit of accumulated wealth in Latin America, and they're always looking to spend on luxury products.