Apple readies Australian iTunes music store (again)
After several failed attempts, Apple is once again preparing to launch its iTunes Music Store in Australia, according to an online report.
The company has organized a press briefing for October 25th where it may finally unveil the store , Appletalk.com.au reported on its website earlier this week.
Top executives from Apple's iTunes and iPod divisions are expected to travel from the United States to speak at the briefing, which is being held in Sydney, Australia.
Speaking with CNet Australia, an Apple spokesperson confirmed the company had scheduled a "special" media briefing with two of its most senior United States-based executives on Tuesday the 25th.
Alongside the iTunes announcement, Apple is expected to present some original Australian video content recorded specifically for a small screen. The company is said to have approached music video producers to shoot and produce content for playback on the new fifth-generation video iPods.
If and when Apple's iTunes music and video download service finally makes its way to the Australian market, it will mark an end to a long struggle between Apple and the country's recording industry. In May, it was reported that an unsigned agreement with one major record company halted the launch of the store, which was originally expected to debut in April.
In late spring -- when iTunes Australia was in the final stages of testing -- some Mac users managed to gain access to a work-in-progress version of the store. At that time, the average price of a song was listed at $1.69 Australian. Album prices varied from $11.35 to $16.99.
Australia is one of the few remaining countries in which Apple operates but does not host an iTunes music store.
The company has organized a press briefing for October 25th where it may finally unveil the store , Appletalk.com.au reported on its website earlier this week.
Top executives from Apple's iTunes and iPod divisions are expected to travel from the United States to speak at the briefing, which is being held in Sydney, Australia.
Speaking with CNet Australia, an Apple spokesperson confirmed the company had scheduled a "special" media briefing with two of its most senior United States-based executives on Tuesday the 25th.
Alongside the iTunes announcement, Apple is expected to present some original Australian video content recorded specifically for a small screen. The company is said to have approached music video producers to shoot and produce content for playback on the new fifth-generation video iPods.
If and when Apple's iTunes music and video download service finally makes its way to the Australian market, it will mark an end to a long struggle between Apple and the country's recording industry. In May, it was reported that an unsigned agreement with one major record company halted the launch of the store, which was originally expected to debut in April.
In late spring -- when iTunes Australia was in the final stages of testing -- some Mac users managed to gain access to a work-in-progress version of the store. At that time, the average price of a song was listed at $1.69 Australian. Album prices varied from $11.35 to $16.99.
Australia is one of the few remaining countries in which Apple operates but does not host an iTunes music store.
Comments
("Often" has a bigger selection? What makes it vary?)
Originally posted by AppleInsider
...
At that time, the average price of a song was listed at $1.69 Australian. Album prices varied from $11.35 to $16.99.
Hum, the word that bothers me is "average". That means there are more than one price for the purchase of a single. Perhaps this is the future of my beloved 99 cents deal...
Originally posted by nagromme
And is apparently BOTH illegal and unethical
("Often" has a bigger selection? What makes it vary?)
Not true. It is not illegal, unless you live in a country that does not allow you to purchase mail order music from overseas.
As far as unethical, the real question is: is it more unethical than the labels? Interesting question.
Originally posted by Robin Hood
As far as unethical, the real question is: is it more unethical than the labels? Interesting question.
When someone uses the phrase "more unethical", what they really mean they don't give a damn about ethics. The 'question' is only interesting if you don't understand the meaning of the word "ethical".
Originally posted by nagromme
And is apparently BOTH illegal and unethical
("Often" has a bigger selection? What makes it vary?)
"apparently ... unethical." Haha. Nice one.
Originally posted by kmok1
Hum, the word that bothers me is "average". That means there are more than one price for the purchase of a single. Perhaps this is the future of my beloved 99 cents deal...
I don't think so. The sentence as it is doesn't really make sense:
Originally posted by AppleInsider
the average price of a song was listed at $1.69
iTunes doesn't list songs' average price, just each individual price. Either this is meant to be: "the price of the songs listed was an average of $1.69" or "the price of an average song was $1.69".
Sorry AI, but there is a subtle difference...
Originally posted by nagromme
And is apparently BOTH illegal and unethical
("Often" has a bigger selection? What makes it vary?)
By the way, maybe rather than offering us the corporate-America propaganda you've been feed, you could read about it instead: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Allofmp3
That way you might grasp some understanding about it and realise that it's not as black and white as you think.
Originally posted by danielctull
I don't think so. The sentence as it is doesn't really make sense:
iTunes doesn't list songs' average price, just each individual price. Either this is meant to be: "the price of the songs listed was an average of $1.69" or "the price of an average song was $1.69".
Sorry AI, but there is a subtle difference...
In Japan iTMS, songs are either 150 or 200 yens each. This could be the fate of all iTMSes...
My biggest concern, however, is that the selection of music will be shit. And that it will be too expensive (if it really is $1.69 I think thats too high, but it's a start...). I haven't bought a CD for ages, but I'm pretty sure they are still way too expensive over here (a quick check looks like $26 - $30).
I also hope there are some decent music videos (I have quite a few all time favourite clips and they are impossible to get anywhere if you didn't at some stage record them off rage or whatever...) and I'd love to be able to dl them. Of course, they are far too obscure to end up on iTMS for now, but maybe one day!
I don't see iTMS ever replacing alternative sources of getting music, but the US store looks damn good, and I hope the Australian store gets a decent range of content too.
Originally posted by Somynona
By the way, maybe rather than offering us the corporate-America propaganda you've been feed, you could read about it instead: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Allofmp3
That way you might grasp some understanding about it and realise that it's not as black and white as you think.
Your such a clown, and you are unethical. #1 wikipedia is not a 100% factual encyclopedia loaded with facts. It's mostly written by internet users. Notice the headline.
Welcome to Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia that anyone can edit.
It may not be illegal for russia's Allofmp3 to sell music, but they pay no one for it. You pay them, and that's where the money goes. No artist gets a cut. The record company does not deduct owed money from the artist contractual agreement, nor do they get royalties if their contract is paid off.
Because russia can't shut it down because of a loophole in russian law does not make it ethical for Allofmp3 to sell it, or for you to ignore the fact your just another thief stealing the works of others.
Answer: We pay monthly deductions to ROMS. The distribution of the royalties to the authors fully depends on ROMS. ROMS (as well as RAO) distributes the royalties based on sales amount.
So it would seem artists are being compensated, though record companies don't get a cut (I believe artists have to register with ROMS directly to be compensated, if I understand how it works there... Feel feel to clarify how exactly ROMS and the RAO distribute compensation).
The distribution of the royalties to the authors fully depends on ROMS
That looks more like a cute company to pay off with a nice name so everything looks like it's real.
I doubt The Russian Authors Society is paying anyone anything. Under the legal russian loophole that is letting this happen they don't have to.
Plus obviously ROMS isn't paying the Authors their due royalties per song downloaded. The Amount you pay for each song is likely less than a contractual deduction.
And you are people are claiming propaganda on our part. If you download from that site you are stealing music. That is all there is to it wake up, and stop lying to yourself. Your only fooling yourself.
Originally posted by onlooker
Monthly deductions to ROM's, as well as RAO. Oh that's Rich.
So in your opinion, they should not be paying monthly deducations to ROMS and RAO? I for one believe authors should be compensated. If that is not your opinion, fine.
That looks more like a cute company to pay off with a nice name so everything looks like it's real.
I doubt The Russian Authors Society is paying anyone anything. Under the legal russian loophole that is letting this happen they don't have to.
You make it sound like ROMS and RAO are organisations created by Allofmp3 to hide behind. Get real, dude.
Plus obviously ROMS isn't paying the Authors their due royalties per song downloaded. The Amount you pay for each song is likely less than a contractual deduction.
Seems like you know it all even before you check any facts.
And you are people are claiming propaganda on our part. If you download from that site you are stealing music. That is all there is to it wake up, and stop lying to yourself. Your only fooling yourself.
I never claimed propaganda. As far as the law, when you download from allofmp3 you are NOT stealing music. That is the law.
As far as artists getting a smaller amount than if you had bought the CD, that is a different matter. But legally, downloading from allofmp3 is not stealing. There is nothing illegal about it.