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It's iTunes, again

APPLE is expected to launch its iTunes music download service in Australia sometime before the end of the month.

Recording industry sources said the service will kick off by October 31, following media and industry briefing sessions in Sydney next Tuesday that will feature Apple executives from the US.
Rumours of the local launch of the Apple branded MP3 download service have been swirling around for more than a year. They descended into high farce in April when sometime rock singer Russell Crowe told broadcaster John Laws that the Australian iTunes launch date was April 28.

iTunes is already online in many countries around the world. However, Australians have been blocked from using these services as they require a local address and credit card.

Apple has had difficulties getting record labels to sign licensing agreements that would allow the online Apple store to sell their artists' songs. If the site does launch locally this month, it would need these agreements in place.

A local iTunes launch could only help the fortunes of Apple's latest iPod players, the iPod nano and video iPod.

Marketing maestro and Apple boss Steve Jobs launched the company's portable video and music player earlier this month and has since managed to get himself and the new widget on the cover of Time Magazine.

US customers can buy TV episodes from hit shows such as Desperate Housewivesthrough iTunes and watch them on the video iPod.

But the video iPod copped plenty of criticism here for launching without any content back-up.

Stuart Kennedy
Resource: Australian IT

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