Apple to Expand iTunes Radio to U.K, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and More by Early 2014

[MacRumors]

Following last week's news that iTunes Radio would be expanding to Canada within the next few months, Bloomberg is reporting that Apple plans expand the service to the U.K., Canada, Australia, and New Zealand by early 2014, ahead of competitor Pandora's own expansion. The expansion could also include Nordic countries.

Apple Inc. plans to expand iTunes Radio to English-speaking countries outside the U.S. by early 2014, beating industry leader Pandora Media Inc. to the U.K. and Canada, people with knowledge of the situation said.

ITunes Radio is also set to start early next year in Australia and New Zealand, where Pandora already operates, said the people, who asked not to be identified because the plans aren't public. Nordic countries are also being targeted in the same time frame, the people said.

According to Bloomberg, Apple is able to roll out its service to additional countries more quickly than Pandora because it has already signed international rights deals with Universal Music Group and other record companies. Pandora, however, relies on rights "granted by government entities" which limits its service to the U.S., Australia, and New Zealand.

First introduced alongside iOS 7 in September, iTunes Radio is currently limited to listeners in the United States, though users in other countries can skirt restrictions with a U.S. iTunes account.

Apple's senior vice president of Internet software and services Eddy Cue has said that launching iTunes Radio worldwide is a top priority for the company, with Apple ultimately aiming to have the service "in more than 100 countries."

Article Link: Apple to Expand iTunes Radio to U.K, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and More by Early 2014

 

[Dulcimer]

That's too long a wait

But it's sure to be good

 

[MWPULSE]

I want this.

Go apple, Go Go Go!!

 

[chumawumba]

It's not location based. Just use a US Apple ID and you are set.

 

[macs4nw]

Maybe a faster and deeper anticipated market penetration, is the argument Apple was using, in trying to get those lower per-song royalty rates from the big distributors: https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/1553464/

 

[Broph]

It's not location based. Just use a US Apple ID and you are set.

How hard is that to change?

I'm happy about it coming to NZ relatively early. Been waiting for Siri support in NZ for way too long! Hopefully that's next!

 

[Squilly]

Not interested. Haven't touched iTunes Radio since Beta access but at least they're trying.

 

[eXan]

launching iTunes Radio worldwide is a top priority for the company

And thought it was releasing updated MBPs which must have been ready since June. Silly me.

 

[haruhiko]

It's not location based. Just use a US Apple ID and you are set.

Thank you!

 

[\-V-/]

Not interested. Haven't touched iTunes Radio since Beta access but at least they're trying.

They're clearly doing this for you then.

 

[MattInOz]

Yeah right like the Australian right holders are going to agree to that any time in the next 5 years.

 

[leepalisoc]

It's not location based. Just use a US Apple ID and you are set.

But it's hassle for some users who have Credits or Credit Card. Who wants to change their ID when they want to purchase songs/apps and when they want listen to iTunes Radio? Or maybe people who don't want to create another account just to listen on iTunes Radio.

 

[iLoveiTunes]

So a new article for each country's iTunesRadio launch now ? It'll be easy for MR admins to copy/paste

 

[fullauto]

Awesome.

 

[a0me]

How hard is that to change?

I'm happy about it coming to NZ relatively early. Been waiting for Siri support in NZ for way too long! Hopefully that's next!

It maybe easy to switch to an US App Store ID but you won't be able to switch back to your NZ ID...

 

[CapnJackGig]

Cool, now people in these countries can experience how awful of a service it is.

 

[hollose]

Finally, Apple gives some love to the Nordics..

It´about time that Apple gives love to us in the nordic countries (Denmark, Sweden, Norway, Finland, Iceland)..!

We´ve stuck with Apple in tough times and adopted and embraced new stuff, but so far no Siri in our languages, no TV-shows, no iTunes in the cloud, no iTunes Match.

Hopes at least that Match comes at the same time as Radio.

 

[MentalFloss]

It´about time that Apple gives love to us in the nordic countries (Denmark, Sweden, Norway, Finland, Iceland)..!

Thanks for clarifying who the nordic countries are. I am sure most people thought they meant Canada and Alaska.

We´ve stuck with Apple in tough times and adopted and embraced new stuff,

Yes, I really enjoyed the speech the norwegian prime minister gave about how his country will achieve a 99% Mac market share by 2015 right after the King of Sweden got that Apple tattoo on his left shoulder.

but so far no Siri in our languages, no TV-shows, no iTunes in the cloud, no iTunes Match.

There's no Siri in Hindi (300 million native speakers), Russian (150 million native speakers) or Arabic (280 million native speakers) yet. I think Queen Margrethe will have to get a few Apple tattoos before Apple implements Siri for 5.6 million native speakers of the danish language.

 

[the8thark]

Bloomberg is reporting

That is what I needed to hear. Move right along people. This is pure say as many things as you can and eventually one of them will stick and be right. Apple even said other countries will eventually get iTunes Radio.

And since Bloomberg DOES NOT equal Apple, just another rumour. It's very nice to read rumours like this. Thanks to this website for it. My question is why to the article writers here make out like Bloomberg has fact derived from Apple when he clearly does not? That I don't understand.

 

[OllyW]

And since Bloomberg DOES NOT equal Apple, just another rumour. It's very nice to read rumours like this. Thanks to this website for it. My question is why to the article writers here make out like Bloomberg has fact derived from Apple when he clearly does not? That I don't understand.

How are you reading that from this article. MacRumors is making no such claims.

It's just reporting a rumour from another site and the article clearly says "people with knowledge of the situation said" and "According to Bloomberg". There's no mention of the information coming from Apple, for all we know their contacts could be working in the music industry.

 

[jonnyb]

Not interested. Haven't touched iTunes Radio since Beta access.

Keep us posted!

 

[Latt]

Thanks for clarifying who the nordic countries are. I am sure most people thought they meant Canada and Alaska.

Yes, I really enjoyed the speech the norwegian prime minister gave about how his country will achieve a 99% Mac market share by 2015 right after the King of Sweden got that Apple tattoo on his left shoulder.

There's no Siri in Hindi (300 million native speakers), Russian (150 million native speakers) or Arabic (280 million native speakers) yet. I think Queen Margrethe will have to get a few Apple tattoos before Apple implements Siri for 5.6 million native speakers of the danish language.

Funny post!

I agree that getting Siri in our native Nordic tongues might be a bit far fetched, but he's right about the iTunes Match, iTunes in the Cloud and TV-shows. The Danish organisation responsible for the license agreement have had a deal with Apple since December 2012 and have been waiting for Apple to give the go since then.

 

[rctlr]

It's not location based. Just use a US Apple ID and you are set.

Yeah, but that implies we would get Ads, especially as I've already paid my dues for itunes match against my UK Apple ID.
Im glad it's coming over to the UK and I'm willing to wait.

 

[SBlue1]

It's not location based. Just use a US Apple ID and you are set.

I am doing this and it was fairly easy. The only downside is that the iPhone can not update my apps when I am logged in with my US account so I have to change the accounts almost daily.

 

[jlwarlow]

It's not location based. Just use a US Apple ID and you are set.

This is how I'm using iTunes Radio at the moment, but it'll be great not to have to keep swapping Apple IDs plus the likes I make will be tied to my UK apple ID where I can then hit buy, at the moment I can simply note what I've listened to and find it in the UK store, but having all under the same ID will make for a better experience.

Looking forward to this launching in the UK!