Possibly illegal. I'd be pretty sure its a contract violation with an element of fraud. Doesn't stop everyone doing it though but if you were a large business it'd give you pause to think.
Got a tip for us?
Let us know
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.
Apple Blames High Australian Markups for Digital Content on Media Rights Holders
- Thread starter MacRumors
- Start date
- Sort by reaction score
Possibly illegal. I'd be pretty sure its a contract violation with an element of fraud. Doesn't stop everyone doing it though but if you were a large business it'd give you pause to think.
I buy used DVDs, rip them and do the same.
I have a Mac Mini used as a media server with hundreds of movies available to the AppleTVs around the house.
----------
Why is it that only corporations are entitled to "free trade", make free trade available to the citizens and things will change.
It's a violation of the license terms, and no different from piracy as far as Adobe are concerned.
It will get you pinged if you are audited (and we have been recently). The result of a license violation is to basically pay up a penalty or be barred from using the software indefinitely (with the risk of a lawsuit).
Unfortunately, companies just have to pay up. It's legal extortion.
Surprise surprise, we are on an apple forum and apple couldn't possibly do anything wrong but everyone else has....
The Aussies have their own tax codes, along with corporate business model that create such difference, much like Europe's TVA and warranty enforcements.
For companies that use Adobe, it's even less of an option. I read about an Australian company that bought some Adobe software from the US website because it could not get the software in Australia in time (some situation that was entirely Adobe's fault and not rectified per the service agreement) and it was needed for some urgent project. On trying to activate, the software detected an Australian ISP and refused to activate instead sending a piracy warning and locking the program.
When speaking to Adobe, the latter was less than sympathetic and could not have been less helpful.
Quark used to be arrogant, too. Then it lost its market lead. Ironically, to Adobe that promised better service.
The Adobe CS6 download versions (and previous versions of the CS) are available to all Adobe ID holders, which means you can download the non-modified software directly from Adobe/Akamai servers.
I agree increased regulation causes a higher price. But only to a point. The markup by Adobe in particular is beyond this price point considering Australia is no where near as socialist as the EU where companies are expected to tend to your first born after you purchase a toaster from them.
For a $1,000 markup on top of the USA price I'd expect to get increased warranty, extra rights, and frankly my d*^% sucked as well.
Just saw this on the evening news, while I'm not fussed with the slightly higher hardware prices how can shopping be the cause? Most of the products for Australia and the US come from Asia and last I look we are closer to the region than the US. Also Apple used air freight so I can't see their being any issue with half full plans coming here unlike say bulk shipping via the sea with huge shipping containers.
Now lets look at iTunes, 60% more than the US is a blatant rip-off, the record companies and movie studios need to be held to account if they are pusshing up the local content cost... and they wonder why many go elsewhere to get music, movies and TV shows.
And lets give Adobe a gold star for the biggest rip-off, $1000 more for Photoshop CS6! Love the Adobe representatives response that people have the option to go to the US and buy it :lol:
Also the Microsoft they have sneaked in a price hike for Office with recently removing the multi user copies of it's software. Used to cost about $10 more for three users but now you have to get 3 copies so it goes from about $170 to over $500!
Now lets look at iTunes, 60% more than the US is a blatant rip-off, the record companies and movie studios need to be held to account if they are pusshing up the local content cost... and they wonder why many go elsewhere to get music, movies and TV shows.
And lets give Adobe a gold star for the biggest rip-off, $1000 more for Photoshop CS6! Love the Adobe representatives response that people have the option to go to the US and buy it :lol:
Also the Microsoft they have sneaked in a price hike for Office with recently removing the multi user copies of it's software. Used to cost about $10 more for three users but now you have to get 3 copies so it goes from about $170 to over $500!
Last edited:
I think Apple's pricing in Australia is fair for Hardware.
They have reduced their pricing over the last few years, especially if you take off the 10% gst we have.
Content is high in Australia for most things especially books so can't blame Apple for that.
However as for Adobe, my what a load of @&$@ $1000 for a personalized website. I own a small business and have over 10 licenses of CS5 and have purchased so many upgrades over the years all the way from CS1.
I have not used any personalized website... Nor would I need to. I just use the software which is exactly the same as is sold all over the world.
They have reduced their pricing over the last few years, especially if you take off the 10% gst we have.
Content is high in Australia for most things especially books so can't blame Apple for that.
However as for Adobe, my what a load of @&$@ $1000 for a personalized website. I own a small business and have over 10 licenses of CS5 and have purchased so many upgrades over the years all the way from CS1.
I have not used any personalized website... Nor would I need to. I just use the software which is exactly the same as is sold all over the world.
To be honest, if it's cheaper for me to buy a ticket to the US, purchase the software there, and then fly back, something tells me that I'm being ripped off.
I personally think that apples hardware prices (within the last 3 years) are more appropriately priced. I read the license agreements, if there's nothing in there preventing me from using a VPN then I'll go down that path. If not I'll use an alternative.
I personally think that apples hardware prices (within the last 3 years) are more appropriately priced. I read the license agreements, if there's nothing in there preventing me from using a VPN then I'll go down that path. If not I'll use an alternative.
In NZ it's legal to use iTunes US (it's considered a parallel import which is completely legal); it would surprise me if Australian law is significantly different.
Edit: See responses below; this may not be the case in AU.
Last edited:
It's not always good to assume that because New Zealand is much more progressive than Australia in a lot of respects.
In Australia, parallel imports in general is made complex by the operation of copyright law and trade mark law. None of these areas are really well geared for the intangible, digital economy and hence create a lot of uncertainty.
So when it comes to importing goods, digital or otherwise, you have to first worry about whether you are breaching a trade mark or licence requirement. Most large company's EULA's are quite restrictive.
Keep doing whatever they do now to get their music???
Of course, if they can't afford to pay US$1 for a song, I'm not sure how they are going to afford an Apple device to play it on...
People in India who can't afford $1 for a song, probably live in those parts of india that are... Lets say rural. Buying songs is the least of their worries.
I would love to see Apple move to a unified App Store, with all non-US currencies converted on-the-fly, with current exchange rates. Makes things simpler for Apple, and cuts out the price-gouging middle-men. Most importantly, it's fair.
Furthermore, I hope Apple continues to push its own App Store as a replacement for music record labels (instead of buying songs at a large markup from them), meaning the greedy bleeps can be cut out for good.
Will never happen, as long as things like exclusive distribution rights exist. I took a peek at the US iTunes Store and was astounded by the sheer variety of music and movies available. The selection here in Singapore is a pittance compared to it!
Plus, I don't end up saving either. If I do ever get invested in the iTunes ecosystem, it would really be for the convenience of having my music everywhere I go, across all my devices.
That's utter rubbish.
Look at the responses. Apple at least tried to explain or fob the blame off onto someone else with a semi-plausible excuse. Neither Adobe nor Microsoft, who are entirely in control of the prices of their products - since they actually make them - even bothered.
Look at the numbers. They're all jacked up on the music prices. Because everybody knows the music industry is desperate to keep prices low, so it must all be Apple.
Rubbish. Complete garbage from an Apple hipster.
Why would that be Apple's business? And how do you think Apple is going to do that? They are not exactly a monopoly who can force the music companies to lower prices, and if they were, it would probably be illegal to do so.
I do respect that Apple came across to be candid in their responses
and i do agree with Apple's claim of Music content has absolute rubbish markup fees put on them but I'm pretty disgusted at Microsoft and Adobes response which was awful to say the least.
You to corporations should hang yourselves in shame ( not that you care anyway)
I'm very happy this is getting front page coverage here in Australia and hopefully we can vote with our wallets moving forward.
and i do agree with Apple's claim of Music content has absolute rubbish markup fees put on them but I'm pretty disgusted at Microsoft and Adobes response which was awful to say the least.
You to corporations should hang yourselves in shame ( not that you care anyway)
I'm very happy this is getting front page coverage here in Australia and hopefully we can vote with our wallets moving forward.
Microsoft said its prices, which include a $2000 increase for a software suite, were based on market competition and that users would vote with their wallets if they didn't agree.
That won't be difficult. Oh wait, MS Office doesn't have any competition... I see what you did there.
That won't be difficult. Oh wait, MS Office doesn't have any competition... I see what you did there.
Frankly, what puzzles me is why Microsoft doesn't apply the same policy in USA i.e. increase the price by a lot then claim that users can vote with their wallet.
What do you know about Australia you didn't read on wiki?
Personally I think is software is being sold electronically (with no DVD) then there is no reason it can't be pegged against the USD. And that should apply to anywhere in the world!
Music/movies are in a different position as royalties from 3rd parties apply and it's obvious that different countries have negotiated with Apple but what I don't get is you can buy some Australia music in the US iTunes store cheaper than here in the Australia iTunes store.
it isn't about being needing to be pegged to the USD, Lancer. It is that Apple has no right to sell music in Australia without the agreement of the local copyright holder. So the local copyright holders get to set the price locally, with a markup reflecting their rapacious economic rent extraction value adding to make each song available, especially for you.
The only solution is to either remove the copyright on digital imports, which no doubt would have problems in that the government may be required to purchase the rights, or at least recompense for the loss of the rights, to theparasites local content owners; or allow parallel imports.
Under parallel imports the Australian consumers would basically access the US itunes store. That is, the current reality without an OZ itunes store skin.
The only solution is to either remove the copyright on digital imports, which no doubt would have problems in that the government may be required to purchase the rights, or at least recompense for the loss of the rights, to the
Under parallel imports the Australian consumers would basically access the US itunes store. That is, the current reality without an OZ itunes store skin.