New Zealand iTunes Store Coming Wednesday?

MacRumors · Dec 1, 2006

The New Zealand Herald suggests that New Zealand's iTunes Store may come in a matter of days. According to the site, Apple will be interviewing with the Herald and a couple other members from the New Zealand press on Wednesday morning.

All we're allowed to do is let you know that it's an interview with a senior Apple person and that that person will be making an announcement.

Of course, Apple's representative declined to comment on specifics citing corporate policy. Recently, a blogger claimed to have found New Zealand flag images on Apple's iTunes content servers.

backsidetailsli · Dec 1, 2006

i guess thats good news if you live in new zealand!
congrats

Chundles · Dec 1, 2006

iTunes Store in Un Zed?

Thet's choice eh cuz?!

mahonmeister · Dec 1, 2006

I wasn't quite sure where New Zealand was until I saw "The Worlds Fastest Indian" a few days ago. Good to know they will have iTunes content available. Do they have physical Apple stores down there?

Nermal · Dec 1, 2006

Macrumors said:
Of course, Apple's representative declined to comment on specifics citing corporate policy. Recently, a blogger claimed to have found New Zealand flag images on Apple's iTunes content servers.

I remember seeing them in April last year. In fact, I took this screenshot back in April after playing around.

mahonmeister said:
I wasn't quite sure where New Zealand was until I saw "The Worlds Fastest Indian" a few days ago. Good to know they will have iTunes content available. Do they have physical Apple stores down there?

No.

samh004 · Dec 1, 2006

mahonmeister said:
I wasn't quite sure where New Zealand was until I saw "The Worlds Fastest Indian" a few days ago. Good to know they will have iTunes content available. Do they have physical Apple stores down there?

Apple in New Zealand is handled by a company called Renaissance, they jack up the prices even higher than they should be and generally screw the whole of New Zealand, and there's nothing anybody can do unfortunately.

I must say I was waiting for this for a while, if they put their local content on there then they'll do well, they have some very good artists, and loads of sweet chill-out.

I might have to buy a ticket over just so I can buy some quality NZ music, that they are still loading far too slowly onto the aussie store.

Chundles · Dec 1, 2006

mahonmeister said:
I wasn't quite sure where New Zealand was until I saw "The Worlds Fastest Indian" a few days ago. Good to know they will have iTunes content available. Do they have physical Apple stores down there?

*shakes head in amazement at what they don't teach in US geography classes*

There are no physical Apple stores south of the equator. Apple has an Australian division so we have official resellers and premium resellers etc that sell their products at the same prices as the apple.com/au store. My closest physical Apple store is in either Japan or Honolulu - both considerable distances.

Un Zed doesn't have an Apple presence, their iTunes Store would be run from here and they purchase Quicktime Pro etc using a specified address in Australia from the Australian online Apple Store. Macs and stuff are available from Renaissance - the reseller there - but they are not bound by any Apple pricing policies so there is quite a markup on products.

I'm patiently waiting for an official Apple Store in Sydney - they'd be mad not to put on in, affluent society, the city itself is larger than Toronto or Montréal or Calgary and many cities in the US that boast one or more Apple Stores and damn it'd be a pretty place to put one.

winmacguy · Dec 1, 2006

Chundles said:
iTunes Store in Un Zed?

Thet's choice eh cuz?!

You seem to be rather familiar with the choice Nu Zild accent there Chundles?!

iamfiremansam · Dec 1, 2006

YAY for me! And the rest of us down here in New Zealand. And who doesn't know where New Zealand is!?!?!?!?

winmacguy · Dec 1, 2006

mahonmeister said:
I wasn't quite sure where New Zealand was until I saw "The Worlds Fastest Indian" a few days ago. Good to know they will have iTunes content available. Do they have physical Apple stores down there?

Only authorized Apple reseller stores as well as Apple stuff sold through electronics and appliance retailers.

Chris14 · Dec 1, 2006

Please be true!

Oh Please let this be true...
We New Zealanders have been without ITMS for FAR TOO LONG!
Now I can finally use iTunes' "Get Album Art" function

samh004 · Dec 1, 2006

Chundles said:
I'm patiently waiting for an official Apple Store in Sydney - they'd be mad not to put on in, affluent society, the city itself is larger than Toronto or Montréal or Calgary and many cities in the US that boast one or more Apple Stores and damn it'd be a pretty place to put one.

I think Apple would be hard-pressed not to eventually add some Australian stores, first Sydney, then Melbourne and finally Brisbane. Then they can get their products out of places like Harvey Norman and Domayne, where the sales people try steer you away from macs and just sell macs so they can sell iPods...

But back on the New Zealand topic, I hope they take back Apple New Zealand at some point from renaissance, it's not a very large market, but it's got to hurt somewhat that Renaissance is making a killing off New Zealanders, in return for less of them switching to macs...

winmacguy · Dec 1, 2006

iamfiremansam said:
YAY for me! And the rest of us down here in New Zealand. And who doesn't know where New Zealand is!?!?!?!?

Lots of Americans by the sound of things

iamfiremansam · Dec 1, 2006

winmacguy said:
Lots of Americans by the sound of things

Where's America? Haha

winmacguy · Dec 1, 2006

iamfiremansam said:
Where's America? Haha

Who cares?

mahonmeister · Dec 1, 2006

Chundles said:
*shakes head in amazement at what they don't teach in US geography classes*

There are no physical Apple stores south of the equator. Apple has an Australian division so we have official resellers and premium resellers etc that sell their products at the same prices as the apple.com/au store. My closest physical Apple store is in either Japan or Honolulu - both considerable distances.

Un Zed doesn't have an Apple presence, their iTunes Store would be run from here and they purchase Quicktime Pro etc using a specified address in Australia from the Australian online Apple Store. Macs and stuff are available from Renaissance - the reseller there - but they are not bound by any Apple pricing policies so there is quite a markup on products.

I'm patiently waiting for an official Apple Store in Sydney - they'd be mad not to put on in, affluent society, the city itself is larger than Toronto or Montréal or Calgary and many cities in the US that boast one or more Apple Stores and damn it'd be a pretty place to put one.

Public education sucks. I learned my geography on Google Earth. To my own credit, I knew that New Zealand was near Australia, just didn't know where.

I'm kinda shocked there aren't any stores south of the equator. Who am I to complain about driving 30mins to the closest Apple Store.

Nermal · Dec 1, 2006

samh004 said:
Apple in New Zealand is handled by a company called Renaissance, they jack up the prices even higher than they should be and generally screw the whole of New Zealand, and there's nothing anybody can do unfortunately.

ADS is attempting to do something about it

Erasmus · Dec 1, 2006

Who Cares???

New Zealand is teensy. The Australia store should be given movie downloads first. New Zealanders should be barred from any form of iTMS. They after all have more sheep than people over there

.

OK, How's this concession? New Zealand can have their iTMS on the condition they promise NEVER to beat us Aussies in Rugby Union again. I think that's fair.

League sucks. Union Rules. We beat you in League, but that does nothing to deaden the pain in my heart watching my country get walloped by the Union All Blacks.

Seriously though, Good for you guys! I think it's about time that Apple offered us both Movie downloads as well though, don't you?

At least we know we both can always beat the American Rugby team

BTW, In case you didn't realise, I love Rugby!

That Renaissance thing sounds pretty bad. Hope they don't have their contract renewed, cos it sounds like they really are screwing all you guys... Sounds like a fantastic business opportunity to replace them.

the.snitch · Dec 1, 2006

Woohoo this will be great news if true, living in En Zed myself.

Now we just need Apple to set up a proper division here and leave renaissance out of the loop. Open an Apple Store on Queen st or something.

I cant believe how much cheaper Apple stuff is from overseas right now - with the US dollar being lower, hardware ends up being a few hundred dollars cheaper when you buy from overseas. Some guy is importing macbooks from the states and selling them on Trademe for hundreds less than any retailers here.

pknz · Dec 1, 2006

There was an article in the NZ Herald maybe a month ago that Renaissance was going to lose its contract with Apple as it runs out soon... I shall try and find a link.

Link

NZ Herald said:
Renaissance won't bite on Apple rumour

Friday November 10, 2006
By Peter Griffin

New Zealand's sole distributor of Apple computers and the iPod music player has rejected speculation it is about to lose the lucrative account that has fuelled its growth.

Renaissance Corporation managing director Paul Johnston said speculation on the Publicaddress.net Publicaddress.net weblog and other websites, about a move by Apple to ditch Renaissance in favour of a direct presence in New Zealand, was "off the mark".

"We've already been given our indicative targets for the next 12 months," Johnston said. The targets handed down by Apple suggest Renaissance's business with the California-based computer maker is safe for at least another year.

Renaissance, listed on the NZX, would no doubt be upset to see the Apple relationship end. Sales of the iPod helped push Renaissance profits up 120 per cent to $5.1 million last year. The Apple account remains the jewel in its crown despite attempts to diversify into other areas of IT.

Shares in Renaissance closed up 1c at $1.28 yesterday.

Johnston has warned that profit is likely to grow a more modest 20 per cent this year as the iPod buying frenzy abates.

Apple has a direct presence in many of the countries in which it sells computers and iPods and even runs its own retail stores. That fact, and a recent move by Renaissance's IT department to change the administration of Apple email addresses used by Renaissance staff, has led observers to suggest Renaissance's Apple-selling days are numbered.

Johnston was aware there was a perception that Apple products were sold at a significant premium in New Zealand compared with other markets, but said it was unfair to compare New Zealand and American pricing.

"Part of the problem is that lots of people do the comparison with the US. We buy through Apple Australia."

He said the exchange rate accounted for most of the difference between Australian and New Zealand pricing, but because of its hedging "it has to be a significant shift for us to make [pricing] different".

Johnston had no light to shed on reports that the opening of a New Zealand iTunes store was imminent.

wetrix · Dec 1, 2006

I'm waiting for my Macbook C2D from Apple Direct Seller. It was supposed to arrive today so I've been sitting here all day and now it's 5.00pm. \

Couriers :-(

Nermal · Dec 1, 2006

wetrix said:
I'm waiting for my Macbook C2D from Apple Direct Seller. It was supposed to arrive today so I've been sitting here all day and now it's 5.00pm. \

Couriers :-(

Mine was sent out on Wednesday morning and I received it first thing Thursday.

samh004 · Dec 1, 2006

pknz said:
There was an article in the NZ Herald maybe a month ago that Renaissance was going to lose its contract with Apple as it runs out soon... I shall try and find a link.

Link

I should hope so, they must be making big profits because of their increase in price, and I am sure Apple can't be very impressed with them. It has to be hurting them in some way...

Mind you, if Renaissance did lose their contract, prices wouldn't drop much, but at least they'd be more on par with the rest of the world, and any price drop is good I suppose.

wetrix · Dec 1, 2006

Nermal said:
Mine was sent out on Wednesday morning and I received it first thing Thursday.

How did you get yours earlier than me? I was told by ADS as soon as they were available in the states and had mine brought in straight away, or did you get a blackbook? Congrats either way, I'm an incredibly envious right now.

tvguru · Dec 1, 2006

Chundles said:
*shakes head in amazement at what they don't teach in US geography classes*

I'm not shocked. I've met a couple of Americans that sincerely didn't know where Canada is located. One even stating that "America owns from Mexico to the North Pole".

I like Americans, they're funny.

New Zealand iTunes Store Coming Wednesday?

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