Wednesday, December 1, 2004

CUPERTINO — Late today, Apple Computer Inc.’s iTunes Music Store (iTMS) was opened to Canadians. The 700,000+ songs are priced at CAD 99¢ (USD 84¢) per song, the lowest price of any iTMS localization to date. The Canada localization also provides customers the same personal rights for songs as with existing stores:

• Ability to listen to a song on 5 computers.
• Unlimited CD burning.
• Burning the same playlist up to seven times.
• Unlimited iPod usage.

iTMS Canada was announced during the launch of the iPod photo, iPod Special Edition: U2, and EU iTMS on October 26. Apple CEO Steve Jobs stated that the Canada localization was planned for November. Apple apologized today for missing its own deadline, and announced that the store will be launched “very soon.” No reason was given for the delay.

iTMS Canada is another choice for Canadians in legal music downloads which includes Archambault.ca (Quebecor Media Inc.), Napster.ca (The legal reincarnation of Napster), and Puretracks.com (Moontaxi Media Inc.).

The Canada localization is the 13th nation to be added to iTMS following its launch in the United States in April 2003; France, U.K., and Germany were added, in June of this year and all European Union countries, except Ireland, were added in October.