Filed under: Apple Corporate, iTS
Apple Launches iTunes Store New Zealand
After tons of rumors and speculation, the New Zealand iTunes store debuted today. The online store offers over two million songs, with individual tracks priced at NZ$1.79, music videos at NZ$3.59 and many albums at NZ$17.99. Many New Zealand artists are featured exclusively in the New Zealand store, including Fat Freddy's Drop, Brooke Fraser, Tim Finn, The Datsuns and Bic Runga as well as extensive catalogues from New Zealand greats including Shihad, Crowded House, The Black Seeds, Breaks Co-Op, Elemeno P and Dei Hamo.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
frogbat said 2:47PM on 12-05-2006
i'm still waitin for a eu wide store...
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Jakub Pawlowicz said 4:13PM on 12-05-2006
#1: So do I...
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MacNewsOnline.com said 3:09PM on 12-05-2006
Great, I love kiwis!
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Sarah said 3:11PM on 12-05-2006
Woohoo! Yay my home country! I may not live there any more, but gotta be proud so much :)
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Asher said 3:37PM on 12-05-2006
Finally! iv been using the Australian store, guess I dont have to anymore.
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Nathan said 6:05PM on 12-05-2006
My home country too, and although I haven't lived there for 5 years I still have a NZ credit card...and the songs end up a lot cheaper than the UK store £0.62 in stead of £0.79
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Asher said 3:55PM on 12-05-2006
nooo...prices went down. I got my 20" c2d mac through education discount for 2760 a month ago. Now its 2690 without the education discount. We now also have the option to customize the systems though, which is nice.
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mike said 3:56PM on 12-05-2006
Its a shame that the NZ itunes website (itunes.co.nz) is currently down, but I guess things like that happen on the first day of launch.
:(
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Codie said 9:11PM on 12-05-2006
WOOOHOOOOOOOOO Finally i dont have to use the expensive vodafone music store that doesnt even work with my ipod (3 bucs NZ a song is a little steep for me) and also prices have droped for the macintosh hardware etc cause apple has taken over renaissance corperation in controlling apple's distribution HOW GREAT US THAT 500 bucs was shaved off the 24" imac for us NZers YAY
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Erica Sadun said 5:55PM on 12-05-2006
Mike, it's working for me. Looks strange, but working.
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Jon said 3:20AM on 12-06-2006
Why are there NZ-exclusive artists? Surely it makes sense to offer everything to all stores? (yes, I know the US store also has exclusive content and I think that should be offered to all stores as well)
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south said 7:35AM on 12-06-2006
thet's choice, ay.
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Zed said 3:07AM on 12-06-2006
This is so overdue, it's not funny. The oddity is it was only held up by DRM disputes, as tinpot record company execs made it not worth Apple's while bothering to do a separate deal from the Australian store. Ironically, the consequence of sticking out for DRM is that NZ downloads copious amounts of illegal music - which is much harder to do there because broadband uptake is very poor. Really, really poor record company leadership has simply kept nz musicians away from their prime audience. Hoenstly, nominations anyone for worse music industry management than New Zealand's (total music export sales $5 million - pfft).
It has taken both some tough work on DRM, and the smashing of Telecom's broadband monopoly to bring to NZ what the rest of the world has had for years.
Go Apple.
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Nick Boyle said 8:49PM on 12-05-2006
Come on, everyone knows that Crowded House are 'Australian'! We only allow NZ to take credit for people who have lost all respect, like Russell Crowe.
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Adrian said 10:32PM on 12-05-2006
Guys the story here is bigger than just having an iTunes Store - here in NZ now have a proper online Apple Store, which means we can actually buy our Macs from Apple, not Renaissance (the company that's had distribution locked up here for ever).
Woohoo!
This means we're no longer subject to Renaissance's price gouging, the slow arrival of new products and the disinterested local staff.
Prices are cheaper - a 17" MacBook Pro is $5199 instead of $5499 at Magnummac (who seem to have dropped their price $50 "in response" since I last looked a couple of weeks ago). Talked to the Apple Store guy on the phone today and he was helpful and knowledgeable - a nice change. He was in Sydney, but I don't mind.
Must be time to buy a new built-to-order MBP.
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