[Diggory Laycock]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/4065539.stm

[insha]

This is bullsh***! Evans said in the article, and I quote:

We'll take on any company, or group of companies, that seek to carve up the market to their benefit

WTF! If the fsking UK peeps want to have a competitive price they should take it up with the records labels in the UK. Their the ones that can really cause the price to come down.

I say if the fsking EU is not happy with getting the (so far best) service of downloading song legally, they shouldn't use iTMS. Do they really have to bitch about every little thing? How come I don't see the oFT bringing a ****ing suit to M$ for the same reason; I think that would be venture that will better serve the fsking brits than going after Apple.

This sh**t has MS written all over it.

EDIT: Couldn't they have found a recent iPod picture?!?

[Diggory Laycock]

It's not to do with the price that the record labels are charging - it's the fact that iTunes is blocking customers from one state buying the same product from another state (where both states are in the EU - and where the prices are different in those two states. )

That's illegal in the EU. Car manufacturers got fined for it a few years ago.

Freedom of trade & all that.

Don't worry- The EU has several ongoing legal wrangles with MS.

[benign]

Never say boo to a goose!

If peeps in the UK stopped purchasing from the iTune.s store then
Apple would be forced to make the price more attractive or at least
inline with mainland europe without outside help.

But British peeps have been buying tunes by the virtual bucket
load - Stupid 'too much money burning holes in their jeans' fools
over there in blighty. Always paying over the odds and never saying
boo to a goose!

For the price of just a G4 ibook in the UK you could purchase a top of the
line iPod as well, if you made the same purchase in the US.

[Thilo Ettelt]

Originally posted by Diggory Laycock:
[snip]
That's illegal in the EU. Car manufacturers got fined for it a few years ago.

Freedom of trade & all that.

[snip]

The question is whether Apple is responsible for it or not. However Apple has the front-end so they are responsible (as in the one to talk to). When they can prove that the music industry is forcing them to partition the markets, then the contracts between Apple and the music industry might be violating European law and enable Apple to distribute the music to each european union country.

[Thilo Ettelt]

Originally posted by insha:
This is bullsh***! Evans said in the article, and I quote:

We'll take on any company, or group of companies, that seek to carve up the market to their benefit

WTF! If the fsking UK peeps want to have a competitive price they should take it up with the records labels in the UK. Their the ones that can really cause the price to come down.

I say if the fsking EU is not happy with getting the (so far best) service of downloading song legally, they shouldn't use iTMS. Do they really have to bitch about every little thing? How come I don't see the oFT bringing a ****ing suit to M$ for the same reason; I think that would be venture that will better serve the fsking brits than going after Apple.

This sh**t has MS written all over it.

EDIT: Couldn't they have found a recent iPod picture?!?

You shouldn't be too bitchy. In the end Apple will not lose, they will gain from free trade. So, it's a good thing the British do something.


- Thilo

[derbs]

Originally posted by benign:
For the price of just a G4 ibook in the UK you could purchase a top of the
line iPod as well, if you made the same purchase in the US.

Including US sales tax...?

[derbs]

and why have the OFT never reported the record labels to the EU for overcharging for CDs?

[Diggory Laycock]

Because they don't stop you buying the CDs from whichever country in the EU you wish.

[derbs]

well i've heard of booze cruises... but cd cruises...?

[GoGoReggieXPowars]

Anyone know of a good European CD store that ships to Canada?

[Link]

This just proves the UK is full of ****-heads.

I mean, not to defend the US government, but here if you like the price, fine, if you don't like it, YOU DON'T BUY IT!

Now if Apple said 99 cents a song and charged you $1.50, that'd be a problem, if they charged 99 cents and then denied you ever purchasing, that'd also be a problem...

What's with the people in the UK "reporting" everything? If someone has a problem with the company aren't they supposed to talk to the company about it FIRST?

[Sherwin]

Originally posted by Link:
This just proves the UK is full of ****-heads.

I mean, not to defend the US government, but here if you like the price, fine, if you don't like it, YOU DON'T BUY IT!

Now if Apple said 99 cents a song and charged you $1.50, that'd be a problem, if they charged 99 cents and then denied you ever purchasing, that'd also be a problem...

What's with the people in the UK "reporting" everything? If someone has a problem with the company aren't they supposed to talk to the company about it FIRST?

Like Diggory said, it's illegal for Apple to stop UK people from using the German iTMS - which is what they've been doing. If a company is doing something illegal, then tough crap for the company (even if it is our precious Apple).

Does the US government allow companies to ask one price (excluding shipping) for people in Colorado and another for people in Florida? Would you let Apple get away with it if this is what they started doing, illegally?

Anyways... There's plenty of cheaper download places available here. Moaning about Apple's illegal pricing structure is going to make them more competitive and thus helps them out.

[Diggory Laycock]

The Reg explains the affair more eloquently than me:
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2004/12...uro_complaint/

Originally posted by Link:
What's with the people in the UK "reporting" everything? If someone has a problem with the company aren't they supposed to talk to the company about it FIRST?

What makes you think that they didn't?

[IanChar]

Im from the UK and think this is a bunch of who-haw over nothing. Its 11 pence for crying out loud!!

[chris_h]

Originally posted by Sherwin:
Does the US government allow companies to ask one price (excluding shipping) for people in Colorado and another for people in Florida?

I don't think that would be illegal, no.

[Sherwin]

Originally posted by IanChar:
Im from the UK and think this is a bunch of who-haw over nothing. Its 11 pence for crying out loud!!

I'm from the UK and as a result of the above post must now inform the rest of the World that some of us actually have principles.

[Link]

Originally posted by Sherwin:
Does the US government allow companies to ask one price (excluding shipping) for people in Colorado and another for people in Florida? Would you let Apple get away with it if this is what they started doing, illegally?

Nope. Just like it's perfectly legal for gas to cost $2.50 in california and $1.60 in kansas.

[Sherwin]

Originally posted by Link:
Nope. Just like it's perfectly legal for gas to cost $2.50 in california and $1.60 in kansas.

Would it be perfectly legal for the gas stations in Kansas to charge you $2.50 if you're from California while continuing to sell to locals at $1.60?

And would you put up with it?

Edit: Actually, a more accurate representation of the situation is: Would the Kansas gas station refuse sale to you if you weren't from Kansas and force you to get your gas from their sister company in California?

[Shaddim]

Originally posted by Sherwin:
Does the US government allow companies to ask one price (excluding shipping) for people in Colorado and another for people in Florida? Would you let Apple get away with it if this is what they started doing, illegally?

Actually, yes, the US gov't does. Each state has it's own laws regarding such things.

[Link]

If CA used different money than CO, and the CO gas station didn't accept CA money, why should they be obligated to take my money?

[Sherwin]

Originally posted by MacNStein:
Actually, yes, the US gov't does. Each state has it's own laws regarding such things.

OK. I didn't know that. I'll write to Apple and inform them that TN would like a higher price for iTMS tunes than KY has.

Originally posted by Link:
If CA used different money than CO, and the CO gas station didn't accept CA money, why should they be obligated to take my money?

Different money? Ummm... Credit cards don't worry about "different money".

Anyways - we appear to have gotten away from the plot a little. What Apple are doing here in the UK by not allowing UK users to buy goods (iTMS songs) from Germany/France is illegal. Do something illegal and you can expect to be slapped for it - it's that simple.

[Link]

Apple keeps the stores separate due to licensing issues, so basically it's a catch 22 -- either break their contract with the companies that own the licenses, or face breaking the law of the UK..

[Diggory Laycock]

Originally posted by Link:
Apple keeps the stores separate due to licensing issues, so basically it's a catch 22 -- either break their contract with the companies that own the licenses, or face breaking the law of the UK..

It's not UK law - it's EU law.

[Amorya]

Originally posted by Link:
This just proves the UK is full of ****-heads.

I mean, not to defend the US government, but here if you like the price, fine, if you don't like it, YOU DON'T BUY IT!

Now if Apple said 99 cents a song and charged you $1.50, that'd be a problem, if they charged 99 cents and then denied you ever purchasing, that'd also be a problem...

What's with the people in the UK "reporting" everything? If someone has a problem with the company aren't they supposed to talk to the company about it FIRST?

You're missing the point. We buy itunes because they're still the best in the market.

But Apple are doing something illegal that's making us pay more than we otherwise would, if we bought from (say) the French store.

Just 'cos the UK are used to being screwed over on price doesn't mean we like it...

Originally posted by Link:
If CA used different money than CO, and the CO gas station didn't accept CA money, why should they be obligated to take my money?

Bad example. I can pay for things with Euros using my card. I can get pounds to Euros converted commission-free at any post office. It's not a currency issue.


Amorya

[Sherwin]

Originally posted by Link:
Apple keeps the stores separate due to licensing issues, so basically it's a catch 22 -- either break their contract with the companies that own the licenses, or face breaking the law of the UK..

Those contracts (if any) in place which restrict sales from one part of the EU to another are legally invalid. If Apple doesn't realise this then it needs to get some new staff in.

[olePigeon]

Couldn't you guys just use a proxy server in Canada and buy songs for CA 99�?

[drive-thru]

^ would need a Canadian credit card though (do you actually need a proxy server?).

Anyway, Apple is breaking EU law. It's something like it's illegal to block citizens of one EU state from buying products available in another EU state. I doubt anyone would care if the prices were the same, but in the UK we're paying 11p more per track than we should be.
I would guess that it would have taken Apple and the UK and other Euro record companies a lot longer to work out a deal and separate stores is what they decided on.

[willed]

Originally posted by Link:
This just proves the UK is full of ****-heads.

I mean, not to defend the US government, but here if you like the price, fine, if you don't like it, YOU DON'T BUY IT!

Now if Apple said 99 cents a song and charged you $1.50, that'd be a problem, if they charged 99 cents and then denied you ever purchasing, that'd also be a problem...

What's with the people in the UK "reporting" everything? If someone has a problem with the company aren't they supposed to talk to the company about it FIRST?

You ****ing idiot

[Angus_D]

Originally posted by derbs:
Including US sales tax...?

Price of a 12" iBook in the UK: �749 (inc. VAT)

Price of a 12" iBook in the US: $999
Price of an iPod in the US: $299
Subtotal: $1298
Tax at 8% (that's pretty standard, right?): $103.84
Total: $1401.84
Total in GBP: �728.76

So, uh, yes.

[Angus_D]

Originally posted by Link:
This just proves the UK is full of ****-heads.

-1 Troll

I mean, not to defend the US government, but here if you like the price, fine, if you don't like it, YOU DON'T BUY IT!

-1 Offtopic

Now if Apple said 99 cents a song and charged you $1.50, that'd be a problem, if they charged 99 cents and then denied you ever purchasing, that'd also be a problem...

-1 Offtopic

What's with the people in the UK "reporting" everything? If someone has a problem with the company aren't they supposed to talk to the company about it FIRST?

If a company is doing something illegal, they're doing something illegal. Why do you have a problem with reporting their illegal behaviour to the relevant authorities?

Who would you contact at Apple to tell them about this, which is oviously something that they already know about?

[Amorya]

Originally posted by Angus_D:
-1 Troll

-1 Offtopic

-1 Offtopic

Good modding

[Link]

Originally posted by Sherwin:
Those contracts (if any) in place which restrict sales from one part of the EU to another are legally invalid. If Apple doesn't realise this then it needs to get some new staff in.

Got the point.

Damn you people, I was WRONG. Ok, I don't know EU law, do you expect me to CARE about EU Law unless I visit there?

That's just not one of my concerns -- now if I was going to do business there, ok. Great that you guys have laws that protect you from getting ripped the *(@#$& off because I wish we had that here with phone/broadband pricing and all.. Then again, government here is a complete circle of ass-kissing. (business kisses government's ass, government kisses businesses' asses).

My apologies for not knowing this law, I'm sure it deserved being called a ****ing idiot, getting "modded down", and all sorts of other stuff.

[Angus_D]

Originally posted by Link:
Damn you people, I was WRONG. Ok, I don't know EU law, do you expect me to CARE about EU Law unless I visit there?

If you don't know what you're talking about, it's probably best not to express strong opinions in an offensive manner. It just makes you look like an idiot.

My apologies for not knowing this law, I'm sure it deserved being called a ****ing idiot, getting "modded down", and all sorts of other stuff.

People weren't calling you an idiot for not knowing this law, but because you were being an ass.

[Sherwin]

Originally posted by Link:
My apologies for not knowing this law, I'm sure it deserved being called a ****ing idiot, getting "modded down", and all sorts of other stuff.

Apology accepted.
The problem started when you wrote:

Originally posted by Link:
This just proves the UK is full of ****-heads.

which is quite categorically an untrue statement - the UK is only 95.87% full of ****-heads, as opposed to the 100% that your statement implies. Don't they teach you guys anything these days?!?

[Link]

Originally posted by Sherwin:
which is quite categorically an untrue statement - the UK is only 95.87% full of ****-heads, as opposed to the 100% that your statement implies. Don't they teach you guys anything these days?!?

[/B]

That's the exact same rate in the US, it also happens to correspond with the windows marketshare! I think we have a pattern here!

[Amorya]

Originally posted by Link:
That's the exact same rate in the US, it also happens to correspond with the windows marketshare! I think we have a pattern here!

Heh... the trends are obvious

Plenty of ****heads here... encounter them every day. TBH I doubt if any country is exempt!

Amorya