iTMS Canada Launch Tomorrow?

[pkis]

I'm getting the 'not available in your country' message aswell in Ireland. I have been buying songs from the UK store through an English bank account but now I can't even get into the store to browse. Something is going down! (or coming up 🙂 )

yes, iTMS Canada is coming up. Just like last time, iTMS is gone from ALL countries except for those who already have a store. I'm in Switzerland and I can't browse either. Seems to be the case every time a new store is launched. There's no reason for speculations: it's clear that iTMS Canada will launch tonight or tomorrow - and nothing else.

 

[pkis]

I'm in Switzerland (which is still iTMS-less) and I can't access any store, I get a new message still saying that iTMS is not available in my country, but and that's the new part, it now asks me to choose a store. In the past I got directly to the default store after the country warning. Now, when I choose a store, I get back to the country warning. So they're definitely changing something. Our Canadian friends might be lucky 🙂

Don't work up your hopes - the same message appears for Hungary and Croatia as well. iTMS Canada will launch, nothing else!

 

[pkis]

I think Switzerland is great, no iTMS is a small price to pay for being a shinning light in the heart of the European surer states.

Money talks, and they'll want yours soon enough. 🙂

come on, ever lived in Switzerland? It's a state full of conservative bone-heads, extremely high prices, social insecurity and, due to the self-chosen isolation, less and less choice in terms of products and opportunities. I've lived here for 27 years, it's a pain. I'll leave as soon as I can (and I'm not kidding).

 

[Anarchy99]

Not illegally. There aren't laws forbidding usage of p2p networks (yet), but that doesn't make it right. It's still stealing.

btw, who would've rated this article negative?

actually its not stealing at all the definition of stealing is:
the act of taking something from someone unlawfully;

its legal here so its not stealing

just my opinion
(and i think its great it makes music be music again
tons of artists sell out and make big bucks from heartless music corporations if no one really pays for there stuff its the start of them doing there music not for money but for the love of the music and thats a good thing
im not against them making a living but thats all id want to see
they make lots of $$ then the give a big chunk to charity to get praise from people/the media but really its not lots for them cause they spend double that on a weekend pool party with there friends) just my opinion

 

[tomb]

Switzerland?

same here! coool!

 

[El Pro]

You still have access to the music store, you just have to hit the "browse" button...

 

[pkis]

Something is coming, iTMS is still not accessible from Switzerland, either. I think Apple are changing something and therefore temporarily blocked access from non-iTMS countries. Not being able to access iTMS doesn't mean any countries other than Canada and perhaps Ireland will get an iTMS today or anytime soon. In fact, on the eve of the launch of the Euro zone store, iTMS wasn't accessible from Switzerland although there was no Swiss store to be launched.

Anyone from Denmark, Sweden or Norway having the same problem, too? Just wondering 🙂

Zaty, please have a look at the Apple interview on www.macprime.ch. There's not going to be a Swiss iTMS store. They won't even say they're negotiating with the IFPI Switzerland and the latter clearly recently denied any negotiations with Apple in an article in the Aargauer Zeitung and the Oltner Tagblatt. Apple also appeared enormously arrogant when asked about the current petition for an iTMS Switzerland. They basically said they don't give a crap about the Swiss people's opinion: as long as they don't think a Swiss iTMS would be profitable, there's not going to be one.
Let's face it: we're not in the EU, we don't use the € and it's way to expensive for Apple to have a store for a country with so few people that actually buy stuff online and even fewer that own a credit card.

 

[El Pro]

Why today rather than friday? I think there's got something to do with the new U2 album... MORE SALES!!!

 

[pkis]

Sadly I doubt we'll see iTMS in non-euro countries in the near future. I would especially expect Norway to be iTMS-less for a long time to come since it's not a very populated country AND since it's outside the EU. But hopefully I'm wrong 🙂

unfortunately, you're not: it's the same situation here in Switzerland and Apple has officially admitted in local newspapers that they're not interested in opening non-euro (as in the currency) stores in Europe at this time.
Also, the Swiss record industry (the IFPI Switzerland) has publicly said, that there aren't even any negotiations with Apple at the moment. Neither Switzerland nor Norway have enough people who are able to buy stuff online (e.g. have credit cards, have broad-band access, are willing to use both ...) - as the currency exchange will eat all the margins, only those countries with a huge popluation will get a store.
At least we have MSN Music, MyCoke Music etc. now in Switzerland, so some people can legally buy music online at reasonable prices - alas, I'm not one of them as we only have macs at home and as I have an iPod, which won't play WMA songs. I guess my next computer will be a Windows box and my next player's going to be some WMA-compatible device. Buying music online is very important to me. And as Apple doesn't seem to give a crap about my opinion, I won't be giving them my money in the future either.

 

[almostwise]

Moving back to Canada

This gives me one more reason to move back to Canada...

 

[El Pro]

This gives me one more reason to move back to Canada...

"W" SHOULD be the reason!!! You already have ITMS!

 

[Iceduck]

unfortunately, you're not: it's the same situation here in Switzerland and Apple has officially admitted in local newspapers that they're not interested in opening non-euro (as in the currency) stores in Europe at this time.

I can understand your frustration, since I'm kinda in the same situation. But all this shows very clearly exactly why the EU and the euro are good things for commerce. It's much easier to start something like the iTMS when there's one currency and one market. For Denmark the future might be a little brighter, currently it looks like we'll adopt the euro after the next referendum which will probably be some time in 2005 og 06. It also appears to be the case in Norway (which is currently outside the EU). Sweden will have to wait for while since they recently voted no to adopt the euro.

 

[moot]

yes, iTMS Canada is coming up. Just like last time, iTMS is gone from ALL countries except for those who already have a store. I'm in Switzerland and I can't browse either.

Here in Japan the same seems to have happenned. I get looped back to the same message. However, I then decided to click "Sign In" and signed into an account I have for the UK store. It let me do that and sent me to the store. I can browse and purchase (just tried) with no problems.

Hope this helps others with an account living in a no-iTMS country. 🙂

 

[pkis]

I can understand your frustration, since I'm kinda in the same situation. But all this shows very clearly exactly why the EU and the euro are good things for commerce.

Tell me about it - I've been in favor of joining the EU for years but my bone-headed co-inhabitants don't seem to realize the benefits. As my opinions tend to differ more and more from those of my "fellow Swiss", we (my wife and I, that is) have been planning on moving into a more liberal country for quite a while. And since we're both done with University next year and the job market situation here is dismal, it looks as though that's gonna happen by the end of 2005 (I'm actively looking for jobs abroad, right now).

 

[im_noahselby]

What time today does the Canada ITMS officially open?

Noah

 

[kettle]

Apple has officially admitted in local newspapers that they're not interested in opening non-euro (as in the currency) stores in Europe at this time..

So what is the U.K. if it's not an iTMS trading in Pounds Sterling.
You mean not opening as in "not opening anymore" or not opening as in "I made that up"

 

[iAlan]

Looping in Japan too...

I used to be able to enter the US iTMS, but am now in a loop...can't get to any music store. The opening page says the usual 'You will be able to browse and listen to previews...' message, then clicking the 'click here arrow' takes me to the page with the flags, then selecting a store takes me back to where I started....this did not used to happen?

However, if I click the 'Browse' icon in the top right corner, I can get in to the US store (I think).

I cannot get to the Qt content areas though?

 

[HoserHead]

What time today does the Canada ITMS officially open?

I'm going on record as predicting that it won't be opening today. I have no insider information; it just seems like it'd be open already if it was going to be.

 

[superfunkomatic]

If I remember correctly... On the Canadian Music Channels (TV) didn't the Canadian Government rule that a certain amount of video's played had to be Canadian artists? I'm a bit hazy on the topic and have no facts to back that other than vaguely remembering hearing something about that. If that is true do you think they would impose something similar on the iTunes music store? A minimum percentage of the artists must be Canadian? Seems unreasonable to me. Just curious if anyone has an opinion.

it's called canadian content or CANCON, it's a way to promote Canadian talent on our media in a vast see of Britney's and Jessica's. i'm quite sure it only applies to broadcast media, not downloadable music. we have cooltracks and napster and they don't have any CANCON rules, although much like other countries stores i'm sure there will be interest in Canadian bands as feature artists.

 

[robocop2000]

Fake I guess!

If you search for itunes on google news the top story is: Today, the highly anticipated iTunes Music Store Canada was revealed along with the Irish store. ... from macteens.ca along with the picture shown below.

The link doesn't work so I guess that they were just guessing it was going to happen and the picture is a fake as the stores are listed alphabetically and hence Ireland and Canada would not be beside each other.

 

[HoserHead]

If you search for itunes on google news the top story is: Today, the highly anticipated iTunes Music Store Canada was revealed along with the Irish store. ... from macteens.ca along with the picture shown below.

The link doesn't work so I guess that they were just guessing it was going to happen and the picture is a fake as the stores are listed alphabetically and hence Ireland and Canada would not be beside each other.

Those pictures are from an Akamai mirror; take a look at Canada and Ireland. You're right about them jumping the gun, though.

 

[pkis]

So what is the U.K. if it's not an iTMS trading in Pounds Sterling.
You mean not opening as in "not opening anymore" or not opening as in "I made that up"

I just summarized a news paper article which included an interview with a spokesperson for Apple Switzerland (you'll find the article reproduced here, it's the fourth posting from the top: http://www.macprime.ch/cgi-bin/yabb/YaBB.pl?board=talklounge_talk;action=display;num=1098891138) . The currency alone isn't the issue. The problem is the currency in combination with a small population. England is the largest market for music in Europe - that's why the pound didn't matter. Plus: you're paying more for the downloads than anyone else in Europe, which maximizes the margins despite the currency conversion.

 

[Daveway]

Well i guess since Apple has the logos on their server, we are now seeing an iminent launch of Canada as well as Ireland. No that i care because i already spend about $5 a month on the iTMS.

 

[Zaty]

Zaty, please have a look at the Apple interview on www.macprime.ch. There's not going to be a Swiss iTMS store. They won't even say they're negotiating with the IFPI Switzerland and the latter clearly recently denied any negotiations with Apple in an article in the Aargauer Zeitung and the Oltner Tagblatt. Apple also appeared enormously arrogant when asked about the current petition for an iTMS Switzerland. They basically said they don't give a crap about the Swiss people's opinion: as long as they don't think a Swiss iTMS would be profitable, there's not going to be one.
Let's face it: we're not in the EU, we don't use the € and it's way to expensive for Apple to have a store for a country with so few people that actually buy stuff online and even fewer that own a credit card.

I'm fully aware of all the things you wrote about in your post, but there's a tiny little piece of hope: Microsoft! (MSN Music is already available in Switzerland). One thing is for sure, though, Apple will launch iTMS Switzerland sooner or later. Because, sometime in the not too distant future, buying music online will be popular in Switzerland as well. So how does Apple think they can hold onto the iPod's success if you can't buy music online that plays on your iPod? (Of course, there's always a work around which involves burning a CD, but that cannot be the solution). Secondly, although we're only 7.4 million people, Apple earns more money per capita in Switzerland than anywhere else.

 

[pkis]

I'm fully aware all of the things you wrote about in your post, there's a tiny little piece of hope: Microsoft! (MSN Music is already available in Switzerland). One thing is for sure, though, Apple will launch iTMS Switzerland sooner or later. Because, sometime in the not too distant future, buying music online will be popular in Switzerland as well. So how does Apple think they can hold onto the iPod's success if you can't buy music online that plays on your iPod? (Of course, there's always a work around which involves burning a CD, but that cannot be the solution). Secondly, although we're only 7.4 million people, Apple earns more money per capita in Switzerland than anywhere else.

I'm also quite sure that Apple will change their opinion once iPod sales drop dramatically in Switzerland - which possibly will happen soon, as the media are getting tired of Apple's stance and are already mentioning the facts that there's no iTMS Switzerland and that WMA-Files won't play everytime they talk about the iPod. So I guess our only hope is that people stop buying iPods here 😉

As far as Microsoft goes: there are two major differences between the MSN Music Store and the iTMS: 1. Microsoft has so much money, that they really don't care about making profits in Switzerland. They believe a good reputation in terms of music downloads will push them into a better light elsewhere (about which they're probably right). 2. Microsoft didn't have to care a bit about the record industry - they didn't have to negotiate any rights etc. because they're selling their music through the OD2 network, which has had all the agreements and contracts with the IFPI for more than a year.

Because of the latter, btw., we also have to realize the following: there are essentially only two download services in Switzerland: OD2 (directmedia.ch, music.msn.ch and mycoke) and One2Joy. One2Joy only sells music by Indies.