Mexican iTunes music, Brazilian Apple Store emerge
updated 09:35 am EDT, Tue August 4, 2009
Mex., Brazilian stores
Apple has launched a Mexican version of the iTunes Music Store, opening up digital music sales to the country. All tracks are DRM-free, as in the US, but cost a universal 12 pesos individually, though album prices may vary. Music videos cost approximately 24 pesos each. The Mexican iTunes Store as a whole continues to lack some features; though iPhone apps are available, movies and TV shows are not. Similarly, the mobile version of the iTunes Store remains non-functional.
Apple is meanwhile believed to be working on a Brazilian online store, side-stepping the need for third-party distributors. Some partially-translated webpages are already said to exist, and a few Apple support staff are allegedly hinting that the store should open by the end of the month. Other sources have indicated that the company has offices and workers ready to handle online sales.
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Continuing saga...
There will continue to be problems with opening up movie downloads outside US. The rights ownership for digital distribution seems to be a colossal mess, so striking the necessary deals to ensure proper distribution of royalties from those sales seems like an exercise in futility. As the producers of new movies begin to define the digital downloads as an item on the distribution contract, it will become easier, but catalogue titles will continue to be a mess.