digital music/video

10/24/2005, 8:00pm, EDT

Monday, October 24th

Apple launches iTunes for Australia

Apple today finally launched its iTunes Music Store in Australia, offering Australian music fans Apple's innovative features, breakthrough pricing and seamless integration with iPod. Now available in 21 countries, iTunes features the most music of any digital music store in Australia with over one million songs from major and independent record labels and over 1,000 music videos. Songs are priced at just $1.69 per song and $3.39 per video, while most albums are priced at $16.99 including GST. "We're thrilled to bring the revolutionary iTunes Music Store to Australia," said Eddy Cue, Apple's vice president of iTunes. "iTunes features the largest catalogue of local and international music in Australia with over one million songs, enabling music fans to purchase their favourites with one click and have them automatically sync to their iPod."

The local iTunes store features exclusive music tracks from Australian artists Missy Higgins, Bernard Fanning, Paul Mac, Evermore, Gyroscope and The Dissociatives. Extensive catalogues are available from Australian greats INXS, Hunters & Collectors, Paul Kelly and Slim Dusty. In addition, there are iTunes Originals from local heroes Spiderbait, and international stars R.E.M., Alanis Morissette, LL Cool J, PJ Harvey and Sting.

Readers note that the store lacks the TV shows found in the US store but does have music videos and Pixar short films for AUD$3.39; however, Sony BMG artists like Kelly Clarkson and Shannon Noll are not listing in the store.

iTunes also features international exclusives, such as Madonna's entire catalogue, digital box sets from U2 and Stevie Wonder, albums with digital booklets from Jack Johnson and Elvis Costello and more exclusives from Black Eyed Peas, Tiesto, Bloc Party, Elbow, Hayley Westenra and Jamie Cullum. Exclusive videos include U2, an online Beastie Boys exclusive and an extensive Madonna catalogue. The iTunes Podcast Directory features over 25,000 Podcasts, including featured Australian Podcasts from ABC, Triple J, Triple M and SBS Radio.

Purchase and download of songs from the iTunes Music Store requires a valid credit card with a billing address in the country of purchase. Music fans in Australia have the option to use iTunes Music Cards for cash purchases on the iTunes Music Store. iTunes Music Cards are available at Coles Myer as well as through the Apple Store. iTunes Music Cards will be sold in $20, $50 and $100 denominations and are available through Myer, Megamart, BI-LO, Coles Supermarkets, Pick 'n' Pay Hypermarket, Kmart, Target, Coles Express, Officeworks and Harris Technology. Prices include GST.


Filed under: industry
Other story tags: digital music/video

, , 8comments, del.icio.us, slashdot, digg, buzz


8 comments
Reader Reactions (Please use <i></i> for italic text)

subscribe to comments
for this article




Expand All   Global Settings
sticker shock
0
10/24, 8:30pm, EDT
$1.69! Wow, that's ridiculous. Around the $1.40 - $1.50 mark would have been great. $1.69 converted to USD is about 28% more than the US iTunes store.
Because of our distance, Australians have always paid a bit more for Apple branded products - usually 10-15% (shipping and middlemen). This sets a new record.
I'm disappointed.
Fresh-Faced Recruit
Joined May 2005
User is offline
re: sticker shock
0
10/24, 8:46pm, EDT
Be glad you're not in Japan, where most songs are 150yen, which is about $1.30 according to today's exchange rate (30% higher than US).
Fresh-Faced Recruit
Joined Apr 2002
User is offline
re: sticker shock
0
10/24, 11:32pm, EDT
It just checked out the Australian iTunes store. Of the dozen or so albums I would consider buying only two were $16.99. The others were $21.99 or only available as single purchases. So as single purchases, an album with 14 tracks would cost $23.66. I think that's stupid. I'll stick to buying regular CDs and ripping them into iTunes.
Fresh-Faced Recruit
Joined May 2005
User is offline
revco
0
10/25, 12:23am, EDT
Blame the labels who have taken this long to negotiate with Apple. It was either this or nothing and Apple has opted for nothing for several years trying to talk the labels down.

As to paying extra because of distance, check the shipping label on your box. It was shipped by Qantas Air Freight from Apple's factory in Singapore. The extra price is to cover Apple's backside from the fluctuating currency market. That and the significantly higher costs in doing business in Australia compared to the US. For example, Australian workers get twice the amount of paid vacation a year than US workers do.

Maybe 4 weeks a year isn't looking quite so good now that you realise that it isn't actually your employer who's paying for it.
Fresh-Faced Recruit
Joined Mar 2004
User is offline
Paid Vacation
0
10/25, 1:58am, EDT
Its not that they get twice as much paid vacation, its just that they act like they are on vacation when at work.
Professional Poster
Joined Jan 2001
User is offline
chime in
0
10/25, 7:29am, EDT
Bawahahahahahahaha
Junior Member
Joined Sep 2000
User is offline
Agreed
0
10/25, 9:34am, EDT
It's my favourite catalogue, too. Mate.

No, I think it's great that Apple is going down under.
Fresh-Faced Recruit
Joined Feb 2000
User is offline
re Revco
0
10/25, 1:54pm, EDT
You're lucky you aren't a Mac user in NZ. All Apple products come through Australia adding on a further cost layer. Apple don't seem to realise (or don't care) how this affects their market penetration here.
No sign of a NZ iTunes store is no surprise.
Fresh-Faced Recruit
Joined Oct 2005
User is offline
Your Comments

In order to post comments: If you are a registered member, please login with your MacNN Forums username and password otherwise please uncheck the checkbox below.


Registered Member?
macnn forums login:

macnn forums password:

Not a member of the MacNN forums? Register now for free.

RSS Feeds

Have the latest content delivered to your desktop via RSS. Use the links below to get access to a specific blog, news, or reviews feed.



  MacNN -all

  MacNN Reviews

  MacNN Podcasts

  iPodNN

  Electronista

  Left Lane News
Want To Sell Your Laptop? Any Condition - receive Top Cash. Get an instant quote. Free shipping www.CashForLaptops.com
Buy from The Apple Store, iTunes.com, Amazon.com, TechDepot, OfficeDepot, Computers4Sure, or donate.