Slashdot Mirror
iTunes Store Available in Australia Very Soon
tintub writes "New Zealander Russell Crowe has probably infuriated Apple by revealing the launch date of the iTunes store in Australia. Apparently it will be open as early as tomorrow (Thursday), selling tracks for AU$1.80 each. Personally I think this is too much, but I'm glad it's finally available in Australia. Now, when's Amazon coming?"
According to XE.com, US$0.99 = AU$1.27. Why then are they asking almost almost $2?
You cut out the middleman and a whole lot of manufacturing -, distribution and logistics in the process and I - as the consumer - want at least a part of that savings reflected on the price.
Whilst you can want that, there's no reason for you to get it.
The cost of production has little to do with the price of the songs. The price is simply the highest amount that consumers will let Apple get away with. Although they could lower their prices and therefore sell more songs, if you add it up, they wouldn't make more money this way.
Now, the actual issue isn't this simple in real life, of course. Also, Apple only makes a tiny amount of money from music sales (at the moment, the store is only there to make iPods more attractive). But it's useful to remember, in the real world, we have real world economics.
1.80 Austrialian dollars? What is that 15 US dollars and about 1.5 Euros?
1.8 Australian Dollars, at today's currency exchange rates, are about 1.40 US $, or about 1.08 €.
While $1.80 is in line with the prices charged elsewhere, based on the actual exchange rate, it does FEEL too high nevertheless. Wages and the overall cost of living in Australia is lower than e.g. UK and US, so the affordability of iTunes is that much poorer. Something like $1.30 - $1.50 would seem right.
Now, when's Amazon coming?
There's not enough of a market to make it worth Amazon's while setting up the distribution infrastructure for an Australian store.
iTunes on the otherhand doesn't have a physical product so it's only contractual reasons (ie. stupid music industry) that prevents a worldwide iTunes day one.
Anyone else read that and think, "What the hell does Russell Crowe have to do with iTunes?" Well here's the answer:
Crowe said songs he had recorded since the break-up of his band, 30 Odd Foot of Grunt, would be available when iTunes launches.
Seriously, I wouldn't have read the article if I hadn't read that Crowe was involved. Pretty boring story otherwise.
... using a "side" door to get in early. The song price appears to be AU$1.69. Russel Crowe in the interview was talking about the price of the sanity.com.au online store, not the iTMS(AU).
:-(
Looks like out accounts have been disabled for getting in too early too.
1.80 AUD Australia Dollars = 1.39636 USD US Dollars
A 40 cent difference just for living 'dahn undah'?
Now is anyone actually going to download Russell's songs without being totally inebriated first?
He who knows best knows how little he knows. - Thomas Jefferson
It's actually $1.69, not $1.80 as predicted. See this Sydney Morning Herald article
you *DO* realise that the US $499 mac mini price does not include state and local taxes
.au government gouges importers with a duty far above and beyond what Apple US has to pay?
you *DO* realise that the AUS $799 mac mini price DOES include state and local taxes?
you *DO* realise that the
You didn't of course. Fuckwit.