You need to seriously get a grip mate and actually look at the facts.
Thirdly, it isn't right that a downloadable OS (lion) is US$29.99, but here is AU31.99, especially when our doller has been running past parity for most of this year, and probably will carry on doing so. what "extra" costs are there for us to download it?
Hmmm sometimes its worth looking at your own comments. Ironically you take one of the most equal pricing examples of Apple to argue your case.
While the Ozzie is a strong currency, compared to previous years it is volatile. Being a $1.10 a few weeks ago then .99 and now at $1.04.
Taking it a $1.04 and including the GST which no doubt MP Bevis supports, we get a price of $A28.84 if I buy from the US (no GST)
Add the 10% GST and this now goes to $31.73 not that far off parity.
And then if I buy from the US, I dont get the interbank rate which we are so fond of quoting. I get the retail rate, which depends on what I use. Apple would get a corporate rate which would be better. But the banks still want some profit margin.
But lets move on, its our money, not Apple's that we are looking at, as that is what hurts us the most.
By buying from the US store I save 26c which is far better in my pocket than theirs. And if I wait until the dollar gets back to $1.10 I can save $2.00 as the 10% GST is offset completely by dollar difference (ignoring the loss on the real rate that I get from my bank)
So now I can buy from the US and save bucks, Apple doesn't stop me from doing that. Or if I want to be unkind, they cant effectively stop me.
But should I do this? To me no. So why would I as a rational consumer wanting to save money not do it?
Simple. From Oz I cant get access to itunes cards from the US with any discount, I've searched and found places like Costco in the US have cards at around 15% off, but I need someone there to buy it for me as they dont ship overseas. Now I have friends in the US, who can do this, but I wont.
Simple. I can get 30% off iTunes cards here regularly. So now my Oz price is reduced by another 15% over what I would pay in the US. Buying from Oz is then cheaper!!
As I said, very poor example to use to get a grip with.... LOL
Now music and other media is more expensive as others here have pointed out, and even with the higher discount rate the US is cheaper.
But who is the villan here. Apple or the content owner. Given that our parliament supported local content owners from grey market importers, logic dictates the common factor is the content providers.