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http://www.macnn.com/articles/03/11/03/apple,.others/

Apple, others plan European music service

updated 08:55 pm EST, Mon November 3, 2003

 
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Apple's future success with an could prove to be bitter fruit, according to BillBoard: "Apple's plans to take a bite out of the still nascent European sector will depend strongly on its capacity to deal with the region's complex multilingual, multicultural and multi-regulatory issues. Moreover, it will face intense competition from already established music e-tailers and other U.S. rivals. Industry sources say that Apple had hoped to launch iTunes in Europe by the end of this year, but plans were delayed. Alan Hely, Apple Europe's U.K.-based spokesman says that he cannot provide more details because of the current legal dispute between Apple Computer and Apple Corp., the Beatles' record label. The two are at odds regarding the use of the Apple brand name."


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  1. MacNN.com Reader

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    11/03, 09:40pm | report spam | Reply |

    iTunes music iTunes

    Apple's success future success with an iTunes Music Store for Europe could prove to be bitter fruit, according to BillBoard:

    Or at the very least, fruit that's hard to parse.

  1. MacNN.com Reader

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    11/03, 11:10pm | report spam | Reply |

    they don't get it

    the money does not lie in music sales. Apple wants to push iPod and therefore needs to offer music store. nobody is going to make money on online music sales and they will all go bankrupt. by the way: s**** the Beatles.

  1. MacNN.com Reader

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    11/03, 11:42pm | report spam | Reply |

    Tackle Japan first,

    and Europe can be saved for later. Japanese CD buyers are fed up with paying 25 US dollars per disc. iPod will be an enormous hit here in Japan IMHO, coz whenever I'm on the train I see hundreds of people passing by while listening to headphone stereos, MDs mostly. Culture-wise, Japanese seem to embrace the American pop culture w/o asking questions. Kids, media, etc., are very gadget hungry; they pay thousands of dollars for clothes, bags, cosmetics, robots, etc. Set them all loose here, Steve!

  1. MacNN.com Reader

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    11/04, 02:59am | report spam | Reply |

    Just a lame excuse

    Apple seems to never have been interested in the European market anyway. With a few exceptions, we never get to see Apple ads. Even retail stores which sell Apple products don't know anything about the Macintosh. They only showcase iMacs or now G5 to lure customers in only to convince them to buy HP or PackardBell PC's.

    I understand it is not going to be easy to launch an ITMS in Europe but who said it has to begin Europe-wide ? Apple could reasonably begin with just a few countries and expand its services to other nations as time goes on.

    Maybe other solutions exist in Europe, but are they Mac compatible ? How many music-selling sites are Windows-only ? You answer.

    I look forward to having a European ITMS but if does not ever come, I will not be surprised. Just a little more upset and tired of Apple.

  1. MacNN.com Reader

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    11/04, 03:03am | report spam | Reply |

    Try Asia!

    iTunes Music Store will be a sure hit in Hongkong, Manila, Singapore...

  1. MacNN.com Reader

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    11/04, 06:02am | report spam | Reply |

    No unique EU ITMS

    I don't believe Apple will be able to introduce just one iTunes Music Store in geographical Europe. There may be a European Union ITMS (this may be possible because of free movement of goods regulations) and country ITMS for each non-EU country.

  1. MacNN.com Reader

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    11/04, 07:14am | report spam | Reply |

    Europe wide

    I do not know the extend of protectionism Music labels operate within Europe, but within the EEC the legislation and rules should basically be the same by law.
    No special territories within the EEC.
    So if they get it going in one country, all the others can use it.
    Apple has the online Apple store working just about all over Europe and there they have to actually distribute and ship physical items.
    Surely, logistically, that is much more complex.

    We had the Apple UK store first as far as I remember, multilingual versions followed later.
    They can do the same with iTMS...,
    I can tell you right now that there will not be a iTMS for non-EEC countries within Europe, what a headache that would be..., all the strongest and economically more powerful countries are in the EEC already, makes no sense to go for the small fry when the big fish are all in one net already.

  1. MacNN.com Reader

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    11/04, 07:16am | report spam | Reply |

    Apple at fault?

    Various PC compatible music stores have been set up in Europe, including Virgin, EMI, and Microsoft's own, all in a matter of weeks. This means that technically, and legally it IS possible.

    Admittedly none cover ALL of Europe but as stated above start small and grow.

    If all these other companies can manage it then the ONLY conclusions possible are

    1) Apple are foolishly trying to do all the countries SIMULTANEOUSLY. This if true is unnecessary, stupid, and causing a delay which is harming Apple. Unfortunately this could well be true.
    2) Apple are being greedy over terms and conditions. Unlikely, as all the various stores operate on similar terms and Apple expect to make their money through iPod sales.
    3) The (European) record companies are deliberately sabotaging Apple. This is extremely unlikely and even if true would undoubtedly be illegal.
    4) Apple have forgotten where Europe is or even that it exists
    5) Sheer incompetence on Apple's part (it wouldn't be the first time).

    Note: The Beatles lawsuit would not be a cause as a) as far as I am aware no injunction has been sought or granted, b) it would be unlikely to affect ALL the countries.

  1. MacNN.com Reader

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    11/04, 08:21am | report spam | Reply |

    re: apple at fault?

    So with one exception in your list of theories, it has to always be Apple's fault? Even in the one that isn't Apple's fault, you state it's "extremely unlikely". My, how ignorant you must be. Place all the blame on Apple and make every statement under the sun as if it has to be Apple's fault at all and it couldn't, dare I say, be the ignorance and incompetence of EU? *gasp*.

    1) This is a high possibility.
    2) I don't know how greedy Apple is trying to be, I mean, they are trying to enact the same unifrom usage rights as they did with the U.S. Maybe the labels out there are being greedy over terms and conditions. Extremely Likely.

    3) European record companies are deliberately trying to sabotage Apple as they have agreements with the already existing competitors
    4)Europe has forgotten that Apple even exists and where it is even located. They blame this on marketshare alone.
    5)Sheer incompetence on EU's part, EU's record labels, YOU, and the rest of you complaining all the time about how Apple has forgotten you and etc...

    Note: I agree with you here.





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  1. MacNN.com Reader

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    11/04, 08:24am | report spam | Reply |

    post 9

    unfrom should be UNIFORM (no caps; typo)

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