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strolch said:
i think the (working) UBS-free-song-thing is a strong sign that iTMS switzerland will be launched very soon.


yes, that's true, why should this promo work when the store won't be launched very soon? ;)
 
macsteve said:
yes, that's true, why should this promo work when the store won't be launched very soon? ;)

From a marketing perspective, Apple would get trashed by the press and websites if they launched a "beta" store which was not fully in working condition or only had a very limited selection.

It doesn't cost them much to wait a few more days to get it right.

I wonder if I'll get another free song from UBS when the store opens for business ;)
 
kjwebb said:
I have got access back to the iTMS Australia. Songs are non-existant and if any working iTMS store songs (US store shows up) are working, then the disabled account message appears (for iTMS UK).

Maybe they are getting closer to turning it on? Maybe they are still testing?

Are you accessing it through itunes as normal or through a website? Because ive yet to see an Aussie flag on the choose your store page in itunes

Cheers
 
aussiemac86 said:
Are you accessing it through itunes as normal or through a website? Because ive yet to see an Aussie flag on the choose your store page in itunes

Cheers

I have done the web link thing the other day. It only is logged in on my iBook.
 
Swissfondue said:
From a marketing perspective, Apple would get trashed by the press and websites if they launched a "beta" store which was not fully in working condition or only had a very limited selection.

the same thing could happen now that they haven't launched it once again (*) - although many exponents of the press reported a launch for today (including Swiss national radio who's usually rather conservative and careful when it comes to such announcements). That's definitely gonna cause repercussions in the media. One really has to start asking oneself what the heck ever happened to the store? I'm simply not buying that it's so darn difficult to launch that thing. I'm suspecting that something went wrong with the contracts in one of the countries that were supposed to get a store today and now everyone has to wait - because a new verison of iTunes is needed for each new enlargement and they don't want to release 2 or 3 new versions within a short period of time.

But: if even Migros could do it (Migros is a grocery store chain), why can't Apple with all their tech-savvy employees get it right?

I'm sorry, but I'm really slowly losing patience.


(*) I suppose we all agree that if this doesn't happen until say 8 p.m. CET tonight, it's not gonna happen for another while.
 
pkis said:
.... because a new verison of iTunes is needed for each new enlargement and they don't want to release 2 or 3 new versions within a short period of time...
I don't think the url of the swiss iTMS will be programmed into iTunes software. A new version of iTunes would only be necessary if at the same time, they're changing the drm rules of usage (in order to get everyone to agree to the new rules) or adding new functionality to the software.

3 hours to go :)
 
Swissfondue said:
I don't think the url of the swiss iTMS will be programmed into iTunes software. A new version of iTunes would only be necessary if at the same time, they're changing the drm rules of usage (in order to get everyone to agree to the new rules) or adding new functionality to the software.

3 hours to go :)

Yes, adding more stores doesn't necessarily require a new iTunes software version. Although, there are rumours saying that iTunes v. 4.8 will be released tonight. Now since Apple usually releases software updates late at night here in Europe, it wouldn't make sense to wait for that. I guess launching the new stores late at night our time doesn't really make sense. I also agree if the stores aren't online by 8 PM CEST, they won't be launched today.
 
Zaty said:
Although, there are rumours saying that iTunes v. 4.8 will be released tonight. Now since Apple usually releases software updates late at night here in Europe, it wouldn't make sense to wait for that. I guess launching the new stores late at night our time doesn't really make sense. I also agree if the stores aren't online by 8 PM CEST, they won't be launched today.

Well, I really hope they deliver this time. This time the media coverage really has reached new records - everyone (even some of my not-so-tech-savvy co-workers) expected a launch for today. Of course, Apple may use this a pretext for not launching today (after all, the Apple spokeswoman said that "nobody announces Apple products except for Apple" to music.ch), but I do think this time they're going to make lots of people really disappointed and/or angry, myself included. I've really been looking forward to this and now, for some reason, it seems to have been called off once again.
 
pkis said:
the most probable launch time (namely 7 p.m. CET) is quickly drawing closer. Apple mostly launches new products at 7 CET (or 10 a.m. PST)

Usually new products are launched between 2 and 3 PM CET. You're correct if products are launched during a keynote or any other event. To be honest, I believe we can forget about it. Why should they wait until 7 PM. It's now 9.23 AM in Cupertino, so Apple are up and running.
 
Zaty said:
Usually new products are launched between 2 and 3 PM CET. You're correct if products are launched during a keynote or any other event. To be honest, I believe we can forget about it. Why should they wait until 7 PM. It's now 9.23 AM in Cupertino, so Apple are up and running.

yeah, I guess you're right, darn it :(
 
I'm disappointed with Apple

What went wrong? There are reports form Australia saying Apple couldn't reach all necessary agreements in time for today's launch. But why delay the launch of the other stores? Come on, Apple get this thing together soon.
 
oh man! there must be an giant chaos in Cupertino, first the chaotic release of the new Power Macs, now the stores... what is the problem?

:)
 
Zaty said:
What went wrong? There are reports form Australia saying Apple couldn't reach all necessary agreements in time for today's launch. But why delay the launch of the other stores? Come on, Apple get this thing together soon.

It's probably just too much of a hassle to launch individual stores.
 
macsteve said:
oh man! there must be an giant chaos in Cupertino, first the chaotic release of the new Power Macs, now the stores... what is the problem?

:)

I guess by now it's clear that Apple's not the most efficient company around - their media communication simply sucks, the whole company is subject to the moods of its CEO who way too often lets his decisions be influenced by personal sentiment, the constant delivery problems, the more than doubtful way they treat their resellers etc. etc.
 
Zaty said:
What went wrong? There are reports form Australia saying Apple couldn't reach all necessary agreements in time for today's launch. But why delay the launch of the other stores? Come on, Apple get this thing together soon.

If that were the problem, Apple would open with just the European stores. They have already shown they will do this when they had problems last October with the Irish launch of the music store. Ireland got left out and the rest of the Euro stores where announced. My bet is this is all running on Steve's timetable and we don't have a clue what that is.

edit: anyone else notice that on the country menu in the iTMS that Germany is finally listed as "Germany" instead of "Deutschland"? Always thought it was peculiar that Germany was listed in its native language while none of the other nations were.
 
Sayhey said:
edit: anyone else notice that on the country menu in the iTMS that Germany is finally listed as "Germany" instead of "Deutschland"? Always thought it was peculiar that Germany was listed in its native language while none of the other nations were.

I've noticed that, too. ONTH, "France" is "France" (in French) so, originally the idea could have been to label all stores in their native language. Anyway, that made this change only yesterday (I believe) probably is a hint they were preparing for the launch of additional stores.
 
Sayhey said:
edit: anyone else notice that on the country menu in the iTMS that Germany is finally listed as "Germany" instead of "Deutschland"? Always thought it was peculiar that Germany was listed in its native language while none of the other nations were.

yes, this is now store-bundled, if you come from the US-Store, there are all english words, if you come from the German-Store, there are all german words -> the change was on tuesday! :)
 
Zaty said:
What was Apple thinking when they openend the Australian store? Were they hoping they could reach an agreement in the last minute? Was it even a trick to put pressure on that/those particular label(s)? Now that we know iTMS Australia won't be launched in the coming hours, what does that mean for the Scandinavian and the Swiss stores. I certainly can't believe Apple would call off the launch of those stores just because Australia is not ready but who knows.

You never know. Maybe steve wants a big announcement?

..or maybe he's just punishing everybody because of those of us who accessed the store too early.. :eek:
 
Poff said:
You never know. Maybe steve wants a big announcement?

..or maybe he's just punishing everybody because of those of us who accessed the store too early.. :eek:

Seriously: that could very well be the case - it wouldn't be the first time something like this happened. He recently had all Wiley books removed from the Apple store because someone in that publishing house wrote a Jobs biography that he didn't like. Or remember his personal little vendetta against thinksecret etc.?
 
Mitthrawnuruodo said:
If you make the gray "frame" which now nearly matches the background transprent, only the shadow will remain and it will look great...

Well the problem is.. jpg's can't be transparent afaik. If I'm wrong by saying that, then I guess I the forum background behind the picture is white.. :/ I guess I'll go hunting through the site-code later, and then find a program that can convert web-colour-codes to rgb.

Seems to me there is some grey and blue in the colour. well..
 
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