International iTunes...

[Ugg]

The following article is in today's Der Spiegel.

Rührig kratzten Apple-Vertreter bereits Mitte Mai an den Türen auch deutscher Kleinlabels und machten denen mit tollen Angeboten den Mund wässrig:

Der Spiegel article
Translation
Apple has been actively knocking on the doors of Germany's small record labels since the middle of May and mouths have been watering over the great offers.

So, Apple hasnt' been wasting any time, it looks as though they mean to become the distributor of music world wide.

 

[aethier]

Originally posted by Buggy
ITMS may be a success in Canada and Australia for another reason than cost.

Much of the population is very far away from city centers and their only real method of music purchases are by mail order. (now online)

Jee you western provinces are the last place i want to live, here in the idutrialised, moderm part of canada (Montréal Québec) we are not lacking music stores, nor do we have to mail order do to the "lack of city centers" must suck being a farmer or whatever things your do out west

aethier

and stop refering to us as cacucks you makes us seem like idiots

 

[MacKid]

Originally posted by Hozie
Well, I for one would never buy at the equivalent of 99p because at that point, it becomes cheaper to just go out and buy the CD. I think the 0.99$ is right on the mark, so if I were Apple, I wouldn't stray too far from that price.

WOW!!! IN THE U.K., YOU GET CD'S FOR LESS THAN THE EQUIVALENT OF $1.65!!!??? THAT'S AMAZING!!!

 

[MacKid]

ENLIGHTENMENT!!!

WHAT'S ALL THIS ARGUMENT ABOUT CURRENCY ABOUT??? When you buy stuff online, you can buy something in other currencies and have it automatically exchanged (i.e., PayPal, things like that). So, on the iTMS, they could charge the same price for everyone (99¢, and commonly $9.99), and everything would be perfectly equal and exchanged.

 

[Ugg]

Re: ENLIGHTENMENT!!!

Originally posted by MacKid
WHAT'S ALL THIS ARGUMENT ABOUT CURRENCY ABOUT??? When you buy stuff online, you can buy something in other currencies and have it automatically exchanged (i.e., PayPal, things like that). So, on the iTMS, they could charge the same price for everyone (99¢, and commonly $9.99), and everything would be perfectly equal and exchanged.

That is perfectly fine for most people out there at this particular moment in time. Especially since the dollar has LOST 30% of its value in the past year against most major currencies. What happens when the dollar gains 30%? People are not going to pay a 30% premium just because of currency fluctuations! The only way it will work is if the Euro price is equal to or less than what Europeans would pay in in Euros for a CD. Same with Canada, OZ, SA, UK, etc.

Since the major Apple markets already have an Apple.com store in place, I'm sure that they will be responsible for the financial side of things and that the price will remain stable within a currency and will not fluctuate based on exchange rates.

The EU, like the US is going to have a serious problem though in that VAT rates just like sales tax rates are different throughout the EU. If a business is located in Belgium where I believe they have a lower VAT rate then what happens when a customer from Germany buys a product? Does that customer pay the Belgian VAT rate or the German one, and does Germany get the money or Belgium?

The currency and exchange issues are probably the least of Apple's worries, I'm sure that it's the licensing with the labels/artists that is proving to be the biggest headache.

 

[Buggy]

aethier:

"and stop refering to us as cacucks you makes us seem like idiots"

??? is you French - English translator not functioning? I never said the word "cacucks" whatever that means.

I knew that Montreal was in financial troubles even with all of the government projects (bailouts) but I never thought it was so bad that you were insecure about your being considered a city center. Or was it that you suffer from a similair problem as those in Toronto, "if you can't see it from the CN tower then it doesn't exist." If you can't see it from Mont-Royal...

Facts for you.
Quebec: Population Density 5.3 persons per square km
British Columbia: Population Density 4.2 persons per square km
Alberta: Population Density 4.6 persons per square km

Your province is not much different from ours. (and please refrain from meaningless slanders such as "more modern city etc... it is obvious you have never been here)

There are MANY MANY people in ALL of Canada who do not live in major cities, ITM may be a great service for these people.

re: what we do... not much. Life is very relaxed on bc bud.

 

[aethier]

Quebec: Population Density 5.3 persons per square km
British Columbia: Population Density 4.2 persons per square km
Alberta: Population Density 4.6 persons per square km

Jee, heres something to concider, Québec is the largest province in canada. It is also larger then the largest us state. so obviously our population dencity will be simular to that of the redkneck provinces. had you not been to bussy milking your cows, and actualy went to school, you would know that.

and Toronto is a crappy Montréal wannabe. it is dirty and smells bad. i would shoot myslef before been forced to live elsewhere in canada other then quebec.

aethier

to all the other people sorry for going of topic

 

[Izzy]

Originally posted by aethier
Jee, heres something to concider, Québec is the largest province in canada. It is also larger then the largest us state. so obviously our population dencity will be simular to that of the redkneck provinces. had you not been to bussy milking your cows, and actualy went to school, you would know that.

and Toronto is a crappy Montréal wannabe. it is dirty and smells bad. i would shoot myslef before been forced to live elsewhere in canada other then quebec.

aethier

to all the other people sorry for going of topic

I think Buggy's point about getting music to rural areas is a good one. There are many places in the rural areas of the country where it is difficult to get music that is outside of the mainstream. You would be hard pressed to find music stores in rural Canada that stock 250,000 titles like the itunes store does.

As for your other comments, I'm sure Montreal is a fine city. However, given your ignorant comments about western Canada I suggest it it is you that could use more education.

 

[Ugg]

Originally posted by aethier
i would shoot myslef before been forced to live elsewhere in canada other then quebec.

Then you've never been to Vancouver, the most vibrant, beautiful, cosmopolitan, welcoming city in North America, IMHO. Montreal, although beautiful in an historical way and charming in its Quebecois way simply does not compare to Vancouver.

It's been said that French culture doesn't export well and I would have to agree.

 

[Potus]

I spend a week in Vancouver every summer. It's practically paradise. Beautiful. Clean. Fantastic food. Diverse. Great museums and art galleries. An amazing music scene. And the incredible Canadian courtesy. Love it.

 

[visor]

Re: itunes in europe

Originally posted by valypan
Good news for us European users at last.
If they are going to give priority to countries where internet is more popular, like they hinted on the article, then I guess scandinavia is at the top of the list, also considering how popular broadband is over here.

http://research.analysys.com/default.asp?mode=jdt2

So fingers crossed for us

hm, how many inhabitants does scandinavia have? sweden was 8 million by last count if remember correctly... thats not to much of a market...

 

[pianojoe]

Re: Re: ENLIGHTENMENT!!!

The EU, like the US is going to have a serious problem though in that VAT rates just like sales tax rates are different throughout the EU. If a business is located in Belgium where I believe they have a lower VAT rate then what happens when a customer from Germany buys a product? Does that customer pay the Belgian VAT rate or the German one, and does Germany get the money or Belgium?

That's an easy one. The iTMS will charge the appropriate VAT for the country you reside (according to your credit card information). This should be good enough for most tax departments.

BTW, when I (physically) buy a CD in, say, Belgium, and I take it home to, say, Germany, I can have the Belgium VAT refunded at Belgium customs, but will have to pay German VAT at the German customs office a few yards down the road.

 

[sinclairZX81]

Originally posted by Potus
I spend a week in Vancouver every summer. It's practically paradise. Beautiful. Clean. Fantastic food. Diverse. Great museums and art galleries. An amazing music scene. And the incredible Canadian courtesy. Love it.

Vancouver's pretty nice... for a weekend. I'd be bored after a week

 

[sinclairZX81]

Re: Problems with Euro

Originally posted by kettle
Not me.

I will not be paying for iTunes in Euros

I have a huge problem with apple insisting I support a Federal Super State of dubious creation.

Where be that wurzel too?
I know where 'e be,
He be up yon wurzel tree and I be after 'e,
With a gurt big stick* I'll knock 'im down,
Wurzel I'll 'ave 'e!


*marked only in metric units, thanks very much

 

[Wardofsky]

I'm not worried, I'll keep on getting them through P2P until Apple decides to do something.

 

[Potus]

Eric Hoffer:
When people are bored, it is primarily with their own selves that they are bored.

 

[sinclairZX81]

Originally posted by Potus
Eric Hoffer:
When people are bored, it is primarily with their own selves that they are bored.

ha. sure. when I am bored in London or LA, NYC , Sao Paulo or even San Francisco I'll feel bad. I and several friends spent some time in Vancouver and there is not much going on. sorry. small city. very pretty, great outdoorsy stuff but not a really happening place my friend.

 

[crazyastro]

<sarcasm> It's nice to see that under the International iTunes topic that a great many of us have nothing better to do than argue about each others location. Its enlightening to realise that some people of the Apple community are very small and closed minded. </sarcasm>

I think the iTunes Music Store is an amazing new option for those of us who like to buy music. Hopefully, if the price is right, I will be able to use this service when it becomes available in Canada. I can't say that it will be the definitive music source, but I have faith in Apple and expect to see great things.

 

[Potus]

Jack Kornfield
Mindfulness in a way is the opposite of grasping, or attachment, or identification.

 

[Buggy]

My points regarding ITMS' pro's and cons in Canada after Aethier forwarded his attack on "anything not Montreal" derailed this thread.

I am sorry to those that did not enjoy Vancouver on their visits. True it is a smaller city with only 1.8 million in the core area and another 1.5 million in greater Vancouver.

Vancouver is a city for active people who do things for themselves (windsurfing, snowboarding, mountain biking, kayaking, golfing, hockey, soccer, mountain climbing, etc. etc, etc. etc. ). It is not a great city for those type of people that like to watch people be active or have people do things for them (ie theater, opera, etc. etc. boring in my mind, but hey, each to their own).

For those that did visit and enjoy it, come on back, we do love visitors from every country and from every background.

My points re: ITMS
#1) Vancouver prices for CD's are too low for it too be successful in the city.
#2) BC (and most of Canada) is sparsely popuated and would be an excellent service for those on near a city.

When ITMS comes to Canada , I would love to see a method of searching by country.
This may be a great way for local bands to get some exposure. (even the 30 sec clips would help a small band). Imagine gogin to a club and instead of them flogging their CD's at the door, they instead have a banner "download us @ iTunes" or they could even give previews to their gigs on posters "Playing at The Commodore Friday 'bandx' check them out on iTunes then enjoy the show".... ok so I am not a marketing genius with slogons, but I hope you understand my point.

Also it may help a friend of mine (Canadian) who for some odd reason is really into Techno from Finland.

re: my opinion of Montreal... I loved the city. It is possible to like many things in life and not only covet the best as the only, finding value in everything is a much better way to enjoy the diversity of life.

Aethier you need to visit BC, maybe you and I could even pass one around.