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BusinessWeek: French iTunes Music Store could still close
France’s softened digital music copyright bill is unlikely to put an end to Apple’s concerns, and could still result in the iTunes Music Store being closed in the country. “The spectre of Apple shutting down the French outpost of its iTunes Music Store is very real,” says BusinessWeek’s Arik Hesseldahl. “Apple hasn’t said as much publicly, but France’s portion of Apple’s music-download business accounts for less than 1% of the business unit’s worldwide revenue. A contentious new legal and regulatory environment would make it hardly worth the effort—let alone the increased cost—of keeping the French store open. Shutting down the French unit of the iTunes operation wouldn’t affect sales of iPods, however, nor of other Apple products. French consumers also would be able to continue downloading the iTunes software and using it with their iPods.”
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1
Dumb question….if you live in France, do you have to use the French iTMS? Does it go by the location of your IP address? Or are the country versions of iTMS only a language issue? If it’s only language, what’s to stop a German-speaking Frenchman from using the German iTMS…or any language variation you wish….
Posted by jimlat on May 15, 2006 at 7:39 AM (PST)
2
Oops…continuation of my 1st comment….
If it is just a localization of language, closing the French iTMS will not effect sales at all…just go to another version (language). And the French government making the law is useless for the same reason. But if there is an IP location issue, it would lock out all French users.
Posted by jimlat on May 15, 2006 at 7:43 AM (PST)
3
I believe that you are granted access to a music store based on the country of origin of your credit card.
Posted by otaku on May 15, 2006 at 8:07 AM (PST)
4
The stores are linked to the location of your credit card (needed when you create your account or checkout).
Posted by Tim on May 15, 2006 at 8:12 AM (PST)
5
This is bad news, because even if it only amounts to 1% of overall ITMS business it at least means Apple have their foot in the French door.
According to CNETs Buzz Out Loud the new way that the French constitutional changes have been written after lobbying makes it that Apple, nor any other online music download service, need not divulge their trade secrets.
Personally I’ll belive it if and only if it happens because I’m sicking of reading some of the rubbish these fanboy organisations think when Apple themselves haven’t made a cast iron decision and most of the time the fanboys get it wrong.
Posted by Nigel Oulton on May 15, 2006 at 8:33 AM (PST)