The UK’s greatest music export
Facing a lawsuit, Apple said today it will lower prices of UK iTunes downloads, bringing them in line with prices found on the Continent. The European Commission, the European Union’s executive branch, had been investigating whether or not Apple’s policy of charging the equivalent of €1.05 per song in the UK versus only €0.99 in the eurozone countries was against EU business policy. Rather than risk fines or being held up in European courts, Apple decided to lower the price.
Apple partially blamed the record labels for the higher UK prices, saying UK licensing is more expensive in Britain than it is mainland Europe. Some analysts also point to increased music competition from companies like Nokia, whose own music download service will begin later this year. Either way, Britons can expect to see the lower prices within the next six months.
Apple to cut UK prices for iTunes [Financial Times]
Still not good enough, American’s are getting their itunes downloads for $0.99, which works out around 55p a track,
i’ll be happy once we get the same!
It is a strange story actually. The Commission itself admits that Apple did not breach competition laws, but nevertheless pushes it to change its prices in the UK just to get out of the hassle of having the Commission on your back. I blogged about it here:
http://euparl.blogspot.com/2008/01/why-commission-has-turned-into-price.html
HAHA! I live in the US, and we get our music cheap! I think they’re gonna drop it even more here, cuz they’ve got a rival website.
*smug grin*