iTunes Australia Arrives

[mad jew]

I just purchased their self titled import and it cost nearly $30. I'm hooked but cant justify spending so much on another CD.

Have you seen them live? It's not my style of music but it's amazing live. I know it's a cliché, but I've never seen more energy on stage.

 

[sluthy]

Still working for me also. Downloaded an EP by a great kiwi band named Betchadupa half an hour ago. For those middle of the road Aussies out there Betchadupa might be more familiar to you as the band belonging to the son of Niel Finn, another great kiwi musician and leader of classic kiwi band Crowded House, who for some reason frequently gets mistaken as an Australian.

Two of the three members were Australian (briefly had Kiwi fourth member, replaced with Aussie fourth member), recorded mostly in Australia, I say they were Australian. Split Enz, definitely Kiwis, but Crowded House is ours dammit . Haven't actually heard Betchadupa yet, would like to though, I'll check them out on the iTMS tonight (finally, no more "sign up" messages before previewing each song ).

 

[MyLeftNut]

AAAAAAHHHHHH! Finally, bought some stuff already. Felt great.
Sony. You can stick it up your arse...

 

[ariza910]

Have you seen them live? It's not my style of music but it's amazing live. I know it's a cliché, but I've never seen more energy on stage.

I would like to see them live, unfortunetly I am living in the US and I dont think they have come out here yet.

 

[Alasta]

I'm downloading a music video as we speak, and it's still working fine.

I would be very intererested to know what criteria Apple uses to distinguish whether someone is in Australia or New Zealand. As I understand it, credit cards issued by New Zealand banks have a similar numeric sequence to those issued by Australian banks, so it might be difficult to determine it on this basis. I s'pose they could examine your IP address to determine what country you're accessing it from, but I'm sure tech-savvy users would find a way to get around this.

The fact that Apple set up a New Zealand storefront back in April suggests that they had definite plans to launch the service in both countries, so something must've happened during their negotiations with the record labels which resulted in us being cut out of the loop. The question is whether the record companies object to the service being available to New Zealanders, or whether they object to it being promoted to us. If the latter, then we may be fortunate enough to maintain access at least in the short term.

 

[Nermal]

I s'pose they could examine your IP address to determine what country you're accessing it from, but I'm sure tech-savvy users would find a way to get around this.

The "rules" aren't that you must be in Australia, but just that you must have an Australian credit card. Therefore they can't filter by IP address because they could potentially block legitimate users.

 

[Will_reed]

I wouldnt say you have to have a credit card from that country Just a billing address.

 

[aswitcher]

I wouldnt say you have to have a credit card from that country Just a billing address.

Yeah, iirc correctly thats the only real limitation.

 

[iMeowbot]

I would like to see them live, unfortunetly I am living in the US and I dont think they have come out here yet.

You just missed them, they made a run through the US a few weeks ago

 

[Skareb]

The fact that Apple set up a New Zealand storefront back in April suggests that they had definite plans to launch the service in both countries.

Remember NZ isn't a very large country (population wise,) and of that small number fewer are iPod owners, of that small number even fewer may be willing to pay for music downloads.

Depending on legaistics, it may not be worth Apple's while

Jordan

 

[abc123]

I have a request for one of you down under folk, can someone please look up THE CAT EMPIRE on the Australia iTunes music store.

Please let me know if its on there, I am willing to pay to have someone buy it on iTunes Australia and send it to me using the new "Gift this Music" feature.

does that feature work across countries?

 

[winmacguy]

i think it used to be illegal? but wasnt there a law change which allows us to backup software discs (including audio)?

It still is illegal although a law change is being worked on, only problem is that the law makers are consulting the music execs so dont expect it to be favourable.

 

[DJY]

The only thing stopping it being illegal was it's ability to load music that you yourself had created. Up until now this was the only legal music you could put on your iPod.

I did chuckle on the inside one day last year when I was watching a police officer, on duty, in uniform, in a marked car listening to his iPod!

Good ol double standards!!!
So who gets to decide which laws we must follow and which we are allowed to ignore?

 

[Alasta]

Remember NZ isn't a very large country (population wise,) and of that small number fewer are iPod owners, of that small number even fewer may be willing to pay for music downloads.

Depending on legaistics, it may not be worth Apple's while

Absolutely correct. Which brings me back to my original question : Why did Apple create a New Zealand storefront if they were not reasonably certain that it would be economically viable? To the best of my knowledge, they have not created storefronts for other countries who do not yet have access to the service.

It's my opinion that if the New Zealand store could have piggy-backed on the Australian store, then it would have been feasible to offer it. However, if it were to require its own infrastructure in New Zealand, then the cost probably would have outweighed Apple's returns.

 

[bryng]

Apple didn't set up a New Zealand storefront. Renaissance, the licenced NZ distributor, did.

Renaissance often have very little idea what Apple are up to, which is why there is a delay when new products are announced in working out pricing and making items available for sale.

Apple did have a presence in New Zealand at one point, and did absolutely nothing with it.

 

[Alasta]

Apple didn't set up a New Zealand storefront. Renaissance, the licenced NZ distributor, did.

Renaissance often have very little idea what Apple are up to, which is why there is a delay when new products are announced in working out pricing and making items available for sale.

Apple did have a presence in New Zealand at one point, and did absolutely nothing with it.

I'm fully aware that the online Apple store at www.apple.co.nz is administered by Renaissance, but that's not what I was referring to.

My comment was a reference to the fact that within the iTunes Music Store interface, there is some basic structure for a New Zealand 'storefront'. This was revealed back in April when some users from this forum were able to produce error messages and terms and conditions with specific references to the "New Zealand store".

 

[fawlty]

yeah but we arent using an NZ service so we dont have to pay GST. like buying a DVD from Amazon

Product imported from Amazon (or for that matter EBay) still attracts GST - they just don't bother collecting it from small value packages.

iTMS-NZ (may it come soon) will be required to collect GST, which implies some extra infrastructure. I'd like to think that's the reason for the delay but will reserve my optimism until someone finds a NZ flag icon...

 

[Alasta]

Product imported from Amazon (or for that matter EBay) still attracts GST - they just don't bother collecting it from small value packages.

iTMS-NZ (may it come soon) will be required to collect GST, which implies some extra infrastructure. I'd like to think that's the reason for the delay but will reserve my optimism until someone finds a NZ flag icon...

New Zealand customs collects import duties and GST on imported goods which meet the criteria for these taxes. To the best of my knowledge, there is no GST levied on services purchased from overseas, since there are no physical goods to pass through customs.

This has some interesting implications because, if a New Zealand iTunes Music store were based in New Zealand, then we would have to pay GST to the New Zealand government. If, on the other hand, it were based in Australia, then we would not owe GST to anyone.

Of course, those of us who have been purchasing from the Australian iTunes Music store this week will have been paying Australian GST, since it assumes that all of its users are Australian. I hope those damn Aussies appreciate our genereous contribution to their tax revenue.

 

[Nermal]

I hope those damn Aussies appreciate our genereous contribution to their tax revenue.

They're getting tax from me now, plus they got some when I bought QT Pro. On the other hand, they didn't get anything when I bought a duty-free iPod in Sydney a few months ago for over $100 less than the NZ price!

 

[fawlty]

This has some interesting implications because, if a New Zealand iTunes Music store were based in New Zealand, then we would have to pay GST to the New Zealand government. If, on the other hand, it were based in Australia, then we would not owe GST to anyone.

Somehow I don't think the Wastemaster-General would let us get away with that.

 

[Nermal]

I believe that most of Europe is getting away with it. ITunes is based in Luxembourg, and I believe that users from other European countries don't need to pay tax.

 

[xrayzed]

Of course, those of us who have been purchasing from the Australian iTunes Music store this week will have been paying Australian GST, since it assumes that all of its users are Australian. I hope those damn Aussies appreciate our genereous contribution to their tax revenue.

Which covers about 10% of the payout to Kiwi's who travel across the Tasman to take up higher Australian unemployment benefits.

 

[kretzy]

I work for Coles Myer, and from what I've seen the music cards haven't been selling that well. They came out over a month ago, and today was the first day I ever sold one to a customer. I wonder how well it is going?