Piracy keeps Apple ITunes out of Asian markets...
Excerpts:
"Fears of fueling the rampant movie piracy business in places like China and Hong Kong likely prevents Apple from offering movie downloads in most of Asia."
"Licensing agreements also have caused problems for Apple, as recording labels in Japan have shunned iTunes in favor of other outlets. A weak presence in the rapidly expanding Asian Internet market keeps Apple from profiting from that userbase."
"'We cannot comment on the specifics but it is true that iTunes is not available in Asia,' Tony Li, Apple's marketing director for Asia, said Wednesday. 'That goes for music and movies.'"
"Without iTunes in Asia, there is little motivation for consumers there to purchase an iPod. China's Internet userbase has been estimated at over 100 million people. It's hard to believe there aren't enough of those users willing to try iTunes and buy an iPod to make it profitable for Apple."
Apple rules out iPod movies for Asia - Yahoo! News
Excerpts:
"The California company launched the latest addition to its hugely successful Music Store online download service in the United States this week, offering scores of movies old and new owned by the Disney corporation."
"In the Asia-Pacific region, iTunes is available only in Australia and Japan, the world's second largest consumer of music after the United States. Even in Japan, some labels have refused to allow their songs onto the service."
"The new movie download service will allow US users to buy current movies for 12.99 dollars in the first week of release and 14.99 dollars after through the iTunes programme. Archived movies will sell for 9.99 dollars."
"So far only movies from Disney -- including films from Pixar, Touchstone, and Miramax studios -- are available but other companies are in negotiation to provide content."
"Through iTunes, Apple has about 70 percent of the music download market."
