Asia left in the dark?

[someguy]

No iTunes movies for Asia

"Due to fears of piracy, Apple has decided to keep most of Asia off-limits for its new movie offering as well as its well-established music store. Apple Asia marketing director Tony Li broke the news, saying "We cannot comment on the specifics but it is true that iTunes is not available in Asia. That goes for music and movies."

Currently, the iTunes store is available in Australia and Japan, and that's going to be it for Asia and Oceania."


What happened to Apple not treating it's customers like criminals?

 

[yankeefan24]

It probably wasn't Apple's decision, but the record/movie companies. To my (limited) knowledge, China doesn't have the same level of copyright laws as the US, Japan, Australia, UK, etc. The record/movie companies don't want to risk piracy.

Simple as that.

 

[MacNut]

Doesn't Asia also have a high rate of piracy to begin with.

 

[Counterfit]

Doesn't Asia also have a high rate of piracy to begin with.

Taiwan and Hong Kong. Then there's also the originals.

 

[annk]

The amount of pirated music and movies in China is amazing. And it's basically out in the open.

 

[benthewraith]

So instead of offering movies for cheap, they don't offer it at all, ensuring piracy? Wow, that's just stupid.

 

[MacNut]

So instead of offering movies for cheap, they don't offer it at all, ensuring piracy? Wow, that's just stupid.

Why should Apple offer it if everyone on the street can get it for cheap.

 

[benthewraith]

Why should Apple offer it if everyone on the street can get it for cheap.

True....but isn't the end goal to do away with piracy in Asia? Shouldn't they offer a legal alternative?

 

[annk]

True....but isn't the end goal to do away with piracy in Asia? Shouldn't they offer a legal alternative?

Yes, but more than that, it's a matter of changing attitudes, I think. Right now, a legal alternative to pay for something that is easily available everywhere for nothing or next to nothing, would just be puzzling.

 

[MacNut]

If the original Napster was around when iTunes started nobody would use it, Imagine 100 times bigger then napster and tell iTunes to compete with it.

 

[LethalWolfe]

Doesn't Asia also have a high rate of piracy to begin with.

Piracy in China is an unofficially government sanctioned industry. The rate of piracy is so high that distributors rarely buy rights for DVD distribution (absolutely no money to be made on legit DVD sales in China) and I saw a "60 Minutes" story mentioning that w/in a week of Callaway releasing a new club Chinese knock-offs will start appearing.


Lethal

 

[LethalWolfe]

So instead of offering movies for cheap, they don't offer it at all, ensuring piracy? Wow, that's just stupid.

But the knock-off/pirate market is so prevalent in China that it's difficult to sell legit goods. Why go into a retail store and buy a legit product when you can go to the market around the corner and get a high quality knock-off?


Lethal

 

[benthewraith]

Oh okay.

 

[zap2]

If the original Napster was around when iTunes started nobody would use it, Imagine 100 times bigger then napster and tell iTunes to compete with it.

No..there are ways of getting music from P2P sites TODAY(just like Napster), and people still use iTMS

I don't think this was Apple's call...I mean I would think they want if anywere they can because they make more money, if some got hurt in it all it would be the labels of music and movies.

 

[dornoforpyros]

hey guys, Canada doesn't have Movie or TV downloads through iTMS store either. We have music yes, but it came years after the US. You have to remember there are a lot of complex copyright laws at work to deliver digital content for sale.

So yes, it's very easy to say "OMFG how can apple not sell in china! their encouraging piracy!" but you must remember that selling in any new market isn't just a matter of turning on a switch.

Also remember that the US is not the only country on the planet, there are many products available in the US/North America that are no available elsewhere, just like other countries have products that are not imported to us over here.

 

[MacNut]

No..there are ways of getting music from P2P sites TODAY(just like Napster), and people still use iTMS

Yes but Napster was huge in its day and I don't think that even iTunes could compete with it at its peak. Napster was the cool thing to do and had iTunes come around to early I think it would have failed.

Also, Had iTunes competed with Napster I don't think the labels would of given Apple the rights with a fear of what Napster was doing. It wasn't until after the demise of Napster that the labels came around to legal downloads.

 

[bousozoku]

So instead of offering movies for cheap, they don't offer it at all, ensuring piracy? Wow, that's just stupid.

That's the easy answer.

In Malaysia and Singapore, there is software that is offered for a few dollars that is sold here for hundreds and people still pirate.

A friend in East Malaysia has a graphic design business and he can barely make it with a cheap computer and pirated software. He has plenty of business, so it's not a matter of that but you can't charge more than the market will bear and the market doesn't pay enough for licences of western software.

People live pretty simply. It's not exactly like they give up an expensive dinner to buy something. They don't have expensive dinners. What our grandparents took for granted tend to be luxuries there.

 

[iMeowbot]

The actual Apple statement there is "We cannot comment on the specifics but it is true that iTunes is not available in Asia. That goes for music and movies." All the stuff about piracy is wild ass speculation by way of AFP.

 

[clevin]

True....but isn't the end goal to do away with piracy in Asia? Shouldn't they offer a legal alternative?

you forgot apple is a business company, not a non-profit org who spreads of justice....

 

[freebooter]

So instead of offering movies for cheap, they don't offer it at all, ensuring piracy? Wow, that's just stupid.

Exactly!

Adults act like spoiled children much of the time, especially wealthy ones who imagine they wield power.

 

[iAlan]

A key point to remember is...

Apple is selling other companies' products - be it movies, TV shows or music. they don't have 'free reign' over offering these, they have to enter agreements. And i am sure if teh movie companies wanted iTunes Store availability for Asia they would allow it - and I am sure Apple wouldn't say no.

Again, lets remember Apple is selling other companies' products.

 

[5683565]

Asia being left in the dark with movies? How about New Zealand being left in the dark with music? I know that Apple has a bad image here, but jeez surely you could let us piggy-back off the Aussie network?

 

[sushi]

Taiwan and Hong Kong.

Yep, they are wide open.

You can get just about anything you want.

Microsoft Windows XP --> $5

Office 2003 --> $5

Any current DVD --> $2-7

 

[Chundles]

Asia being left in the dark with movies? How about New Zealand being left in the dark with music? I know that Apple has a bad image here, but jeez surely you could let us piggy-back off the Aussie network?

So long as it stops you guys piggy-backing the sheep...

I kid, I kid.

When the store first arrived here (October 2005) our Kiwi cousins could indeed access it by simply using a NSW address similar to how you would purchase QuickTime Pro.

But not anymore...

I think Apple would need some sort of physical presence in NZ, not a retail store or anything but at least an office in Auckland (not Wellington, nobody's heard of Wellington) that would enable online purchasing of products (and possibly ending Renaissance's massive price mark ups in the process) before a Kiwi iTS came online.

But all that's too hard, so just let the Kiwis access our store - all the stuff they sell on the Au store is covered under the same agreements in NZ anyway - in the eyes of the record companies we're just one big country.

 

[garybUK]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/5350258.stm

Guess the iTunes store doesn't work that well over the alternatives. I'm one of those people, i have 5 bought songs the rest are aquired (not meaning they are illegal)....

I have friends in a very similar situation.

We don't even have TV programs yet, what a joke, and they wont let us buy from other EU state stores, which is against the freaking LAW!!!

It's a good service, but please make it fair for all...