International iTunes

[Squibnocket]

Does anyone know if Apple has considered the possibility of universalizing the iTunes music store? I'm talking about making international versions of iTunes available to all localizations. I'm interested in downloading French folk music, indigenous Gaelic tunes, Mid-Eastern pop, etc.

Is there some technical, political or beaurocratic reason Apple can't do this? Is it something that is technically feasible, just hasn't been pursued, yet? I think that with the globalization of culture that the internet has created for us, Apple could do well to expose all of these artists on an international level.

Matt

 

[fowler.]

Record companies and $$$

 

[mkrishnan]

Does anyone know if Apple has considered the possibility of universalizing the iTunes music store? I'm talking about making international versions of iTunes available to all localizations. I'm interested in downloading French folk music, indigenous Gaelic tunes, Mid-Eastern pop, etc.

Agree with fowler -- it has nothing to do with technology, only with property rights. iTunes could have launched immediately in the UK and other places if Apple had been able to negotiate global rights to songs from the beginning. And governments play a part too -- iTMS could have been in Canada a *long* time ago from a *technical* perspective....

I'd love it too, but I wouldn't hold my breath for a few years at least. The problem has to do with the intellectual property legalities...Apple would have to pay a lot more and have to enter into much more complicated negotiations to get global sales rights to songs, and the ROI would be pretty low...there aren't that many people like you and me who want most of them....

 

[Squibnocket]

What money, exactly?

Do global distribution rights really cost that much more? I'll admit to being a music industry idiot, by the way...

I understand that trans-national negotiations took longer to implement than the technology, but it seems, since Apple has developed a pretty solid distribution infrastructure, the opening of international music libraries should be a piece of cake. In fact, I'd almost imagine that foreign music distribution companies would be highly inclined to jump on this as a distribution money saver. It seems that the biggest hurdle for a European artist to selling in the US (aside from the obvious potential language barrier) would be the cost and strain of distributing overseas. Shipping costs, etc. The iTMS takes all of the hassle out of moving a product around the world and exposes them to countless potential buyers.

American artists and production companies should be keenly aware of this, considering they are probably the most widely played on an international level. What other country's artists consistently play "world tours." At the very least, opening up iTunes America to international buyers should be a convenient and worthwhile first step.

It seems like a no-brainer to me. But then, I really am a music industry idiot.

Matt