iTunes (un)availability - what irony

Message

Tomas · #1 Post by **Tomas** » Wed 24 May 2006, 9:15 pm

I (as a citizen of the Czech Republic and European Union) just wanted to say that it's quite embarassing that iTunes uses 20 years old Cold War borders to disqualify potential buyers from the "wrong side".

I'd say it would be perfectly fair for everyone to have a chance to personally obtain *legal* digital copies of I'm with stupid and TSAGS demos at the same time as any fellow fan in the UK or Austria or wherever, restricted just by the connection and price. (Of course I'm able to get them the other way, but I'd like to build my collection of official digital releases in a slightly different way.)

And all this "divided" mess concerns production from a band that sings "let's stay together".

Tom,
second-class fan

(My later remarks indeed contain sarcasm. Surely I'm over it in a way, I only wanted to express my disappointment regarding certain policies.)

boyjohn · #2 Post by **boyjohn** » Wed 24 May 2006, 9:23 pm

I'm sure if it was up to Apple eveyone could buy everything, no matter where they live.

However, there are probably some legal issues that stop them from doing that.

Tomas · #3 Post by **Tomas** » Wed 24 May 2006, 9:34 pm

I have my doubts about legal issues, it might also be the eastern market is considered weaker / piratic (huge market of illegal music), but anyway - even better it would be if PSB / management / whoever just forget that "exclusive" game and put it on 7digital or the like site as well, where only a credit card matters, be it from anywhere.

boyjohn · #4 Post by **boyjohn** » Wed 24 May 2006, 9:40 pm

Well, I am in the US, and I can't buy stuff off the UK site either, so I don't think its a east/west thing.

Tomas · #5 Post by **Tomas** » Wed 24 May 2006, 9:51 pm

OK correct me if I'm wrong, but I had the impression that the demos are exclusively available on all mutations of iTunes, not only the UK one?

Janet Street-Porter · Wed 24 May 2006, 9:52 pm

I blame Heather Mills.

boyjohn · #7 Post by **boyjohn** » Wed 24 May 2006, 9:55 pm

Yes, but nothing from fundamental is on the US site yet. I guess you can only buy from your own country itune site. If ITunes doesnt operate in your country, maybe they are not authorized to sell to residents there.

I am just speculating, maybe someone should write to Apple and ask them.

glennjridge · #8 Post by **glennjridge** » Wed 24 May 2006, 9:56 pm

yeah Im in the USA and the UK store says it takes visa but when I entered my info in it said UK doesnt not have angreement with that payment method.the rest were payment plans I never heard of.

its kinda baffeling why for a little amount of effort they could clear this up and make some serious money across the boards but they dont.
I-tunes is all divided up like highschool playground cliques.

Dipso · #9 Post by **Dipso** » Thu 25 May 2006, 4:13 am

You need a credit/debit card with a UK billing address to order from the British iTunes shop, I think. I am in Japan but was able to get the demos with my British credit card. It is a stupid rule but there must be some kind of legal reason for it, I presume.

JT X · #10 Post by **JT X** » Fri 26 May 2006, 2:31 am

It's impossible for US fans to buy the "I'm with Stupid" remixes from iTunes. You can preview them, but attempts to place them in your basket results in being redirected to the US site, which does not carry the songs.

Dipso · #11 Post by **Dipso** » Fri 26 May 2006, 3:28 am

I think that ultimately all this faffing this just encourages illegal downloads. If you can't get the mixes through legal means because they are inexplicably not available where you live, then it only takes 10 seconds to get on LimeWire and get them illegally. Bit of an own goal, really. Who do we blame though? iTunes? EMI?

Tomas · #12 Post by **Tomas** » Fri 26 May 2006, 8:46 am

Dipso wrote:Who do we blame though? iTunes? EMI?

[kidding]

Pet Shop Boys? After 25 years together, shouldn't they really be able to record top-quality album tracks even without demo-ing them in advance?

[/kidding]

themgnt · #13 Post by **themgnt** » Sun 28 May 2006, 5:13 am

Fortunately I have accounts in both the US and the UK so I was able to get them. But I suspect when the album is released in the US next month the tracks will be available here as well.

-paul