Apple to host media event in Tokyo
Apple Computer on Tuesday began inviting select journalists to a special music event in Tokyo that is expected to deliver a Japanese version of the company's popular iTunes Music Store.
The event will take place on August 4, at 10:00 am at the Tokyo International Forum, according to Macworld.
Japan represents the largest international music market unconquered by Apple's industry leading iTunes download service.
The iPod maker began meeting with Japan's major music labels in 2003, but saw negotiations progress at a minimal pace until this year. The two parties entered into a near two-year standoff over licensing terms when Apple demanded that its Japanese iTunes music store be able to sell music tracks for the the equivalent of US $0.99, sources said.
Japanese music services at the time were charging over double that rate, as the average cost of an audio CD in Japan hovered around US$30. Unwilling to surrender 50 percent of its profits to meet Apple's terms, the labels initially shied away.
Apple wasn't bluffing either and instead sat back, betting on its industry dominance to overthrow the resistance of the labels. The company figured the labels couldn't swim against the tide forever.
In June, the Nihon Keizai business daily reported that Apple and Japanese record labels Columbia Music Entertainment Inc., Avex Group Holdings Inc. and Toshiba-EMI Ltd., had agreed on licensing terms for the service that was scheduled to launch in August.
It remains unclear on what precise terms Apple and the labels have agreed, but insiders believe the two parties met at the middle (or somewhere around US$1.40 per song). Analysts expect the iTunes services to be competitive with existing Japanese services, which charge between US$1.50 and $3 per track.
Apple's iTunes Music Store currently reaches more than 70 percent of the global music market with stores in 19 countries, including the US and Canada, and more than 500 million songs purchased and downloaded worldwide.
The event will take place on August 4, at 10:00 am at the Tokyo International Forum, according to Macworld.
Japan represents the largest international music market unconquered by Apple's industry leading iTunes download service.
The iPod maker began meeting with Japan's major music labels in 2003, but saw negotiations progress at a minimal pace until this year. The two parties entered into a near two-year standoff over licensing terms when Apple demanded that its Japanese iTunes music store be able to sell music tracks for the the equivalent of US $0.99, sources said.
Japanese music services at the time were charging over double that rate, as the average cost of an audio CD in Japan hovered around US$30. Unwilling to surrender 50 percent of its profits to meet Apple's terms, the labels initially shied away.
Apple wasn't bluffing either and instead sat back, betting on its industry dominance to overthrow the resistance of the labels. The company figured the labels couldn't swim against the tide forever.
In June, the Nihon Keizai business daily reported that Apple and Japanese record labels Columbia Music Entertainment Inc., Avex Group Holdings Inc. and Toshiba-EMI Ltd., had agreed on licensing terms for the service that was scheduled to launch in August.
It remains unclear on what precise terms Apple and the labels have agreed, but insiders believe the two parties met at the middle (or somewhere around US$1.40 per song). Analysts expect the iTunes services to be competitive with existing Japanese services, which charge between US$1.50 and $3 per track.
Apple's iTunes Music Store currently reaches more than 70 percent of the global music market with stores in 19 countries, including the US and Canada, and more than 500 million songs purchased and downloaded worldwide.
Comments
Originally posted by TheOtherRob
Australian iTMS? No, of course not, silly me...
Yes, silly you indeed! The Au iTMS is still a few billion years away yet.... and it's all thanks to one major music label.... BASTARDS!!!
Congrats Japan....
Originally posted by benjamin_r
Yes, silly you indeed! The Au iTMS is still a few billion years away yet.... and it's all thanks to one major music label.... BASTARDS!!!
Which label are we talking about?
And yes, to complete the major countries, in my mind, would be to give Australia and New Zealand their music stores.
Originally posted by Merovingian
Which label are we talking about?
Four letters, starts with an 'S' and has a 'y' on the end.
p.s. rhymes with boney
Slimy Music Execs. holding out on us for more money or whatever the hell they deem to be a valid reason for screwing us out of legally downloadable music.
bastards, bastards, bastards.
Anyway, back on topic... I hope Japan know how lucky they are!
Not hard to remember how close Australia was to an ITunes store, then ..............
From what I remember, Sony is also a small boutique consumer electronics manufacturer that is finding life a little difficult at the moment as its Network Walkman series of products appear to be drowning without trace and the content arm's online music store possibly has a global market share of less than 5% and has been widely slated for being impenetrable.
Are the two things related in any way?
Or am I just being cynical?
Originally posted by Mark- Card Carrying FanaticRealist
So, just to be clear, Sony is holding up the launch of iTMS in Australia and is also responsible for much of the delay in getting iTMS Japan up and running.
From what I remember, Sony is also a small boutique consumer electronics manufacturer that is finding life a little difficult at the moment as its Network Walkman series of products appear to be drowning without trace and the content arm's online music store possibly has a global market share of less than 5% and has been widely slated for being impenetrable.
Are the two things related in any way?
Or am I just being cynical?
Personally, I think your spot on!
But it seems a bit strange that they had no resistance to our Nordic cousins iTMS that opened a few months ago.....
Maybe Sony just hate Aussies and Kiwis? or maybe its just Russell they dislike!
Originally posted by Glamingo
Yeh, i wonder if theres even enough market here for apple.
Yeah there is. We're about number 6 on the list of annual CD sales figures. Well in front of a number of other first world countries with larger populations.
S***B** are Bast*rds
Money hungry
and Apple Australia are acting like a bunch of pussies in reguard to the matter.
Just my 2¢
Having said that, I'm mildly irritated every time I want to buy music and I think about how easy / cool it would be to simply switch to iTunes rather than heading to the shop. Maybe tomorrow we'll all be maxing our credit cards...
-TheOtherRob