MacDailyNews - Where Mac news comes first

Now I see the point of the shuffle. Apple is putting pressure on RAM prices, and this means that other mp3 player manufactures will have less profit on their products. I get you Apple.

I meant flash memory.

This must be that pressure that was reported yesterday with Creative's sales decline.

Yep. Creative's sales decline, Apple reduces prices making an already popular device even more popular, Apple sells more, stock goes up, Apple market share goes up, Apple profits go up. Yep. Must be that upward pressure that the cream feels when all the crud sinks to the bottom.

Keep the pressure on.

Does anyone knows about Apple's international pricing policy? Here in Holland the iPod is € 309 resp. € 439.

Considering that € 1 is about $ 1.2 we're getting screwed in the non VS-markets. Which is stupid I think, if Apple really wants to keep it's marketshare.

this happened for 2 reasons.

1. the 512 was outselling the 1gb 2 to 1 because of the price

2. the 1.5GB version will be out in a week or so.

Hey Euro. Yes, Euro zone prices are a bit higher. Do consider, though, that US dollar price of 299 is excluding VAT. Now, in Holland, that's 19 percent and that makes the regular iPod $355.81. That's about EUR 294. Add to this that EU probably has higher import taxes on goods than the US, so that makes the gap a whole lot smaller. Also consider that Apple has to look at the prices that other companies offer their products in the Netherlands. At Dixons.nl, the Sony NW-HD5 20 Gb walkman goes for EUR 299. So EUR 309 for a color screen 20 GB ipod isn't that bad.

"Does anyone knows about Apple's international pricing policy? Here in Holland the iPod is € 309 resp. € 439.

Considering that € 1 is about $ 1.2 we're getting screwed in the non VS-markets. Which is stupid I think, if Apple really wants to keep it's marketshare.
"

I am from The Netherlands also, and sadly some of my countryman do produce the kind of mindless blabber like above, with it's unjustified accusations against Apple.

Euro: in our country we add 19% BTW (aka VAT aka Sales Tax) on products like this. Added to this are also environmental taxes (verwijderingsbijdrage e.d.), and probably a small amount of shipping fee. If you total this up, you get very near the price in the USA.

If you feel you are getting screwed, than it would be by our own goverment. So adress your concern at The Hague and not at Cupertino.

In Holland there is 19 % BTW - VAT - tax in the price included ...
In the USA it is n o t and VAT is different, but varies from 6 to 9%
Those price consius Dutch .... !

"Does anyone knows about Apple's international pricing policy? Here in Holland the iPod is € 309 resp. € 439.

Considering that € 1 is about $ 1.2 we're getting screwed in the non VS-markets. Which is stupid I think, if Apple really wants to keep it's marketshare.
"
Right on Ton.
I am from The Netherlands also, and sadly some of my countryman do produce the kind of mindless blabber like above, with it's unjustified accusations against Apple.

Euro: in our country we add 19% BTW (aka VAT aka Sales Tax) on products like this. Added to this are also environmental taxes (verwijderingsbijdrage e.d.), and probably a small amount of shipping fee. If you total this up, you get very near the price in the USA.

If you feel you are getting screwed, than it would be by our own goverment. So adress your concern at The Hague and not at Cupertino.

How much tax is there on cannabis? (pot).

No sales tax in Oregon!! $299 = $299 here.
Oh, and at $399 I think it's time to get a 60gb ipod.

Euro, Ron & Ton,

I can appreciate how you feel about ipod prices but don't complain, at least you have the itunes music store. We're still waiting for it in A'stralia. Bastard record companies.

can't really include shipping... it's shipped from China in the first place.

Bikersrule: I did not complain, but quoted a complaint from Euro which I tried to answer (as I believe his complainr is unjustified).

Do you have at least an estimated date for opening of the iTunes Music Store? I'll keep my thumbs crossed for you guys...

Ron: I don't understand a word from what you are saying. And what does cannabis have to do with this?

cannabis pretty much legal in Netherlands

Why can't 3rd Generation iPods be supported through the firmware update?

Dear Ton,

OK "complain" was a strong word. Do we have a release date? Now that could be used by a comedian as a lead-in to one liner. We've had so many "release dates" (Apple doesn't really say in advance when a music store will open) that I've given up being the voice of reason.

There's been at least three occasions when the music store was predicted to open it's digital doors. Apparently one record company is refusing to open up its catalogue so we have no access to the music store. Will it ever open in Australia? Will there be peace and good will throughout the world? Your guess is as good as mine. I've just given up waiting.

MDN magic word "reported" as in reported opening of the music store or is it a reported UFO sighting. They mean the same in the land of Oz

Dang, just ordered and received the 512 shuffle. Now 30 bucks would have doubled the memory. Oh well, that is the way things go. The river is constantly flowing and no matter where you start in you are gonna end up reaching the other shore farther downstream. You gotta dive in sometime.

At least the 512 stayed at 99. Since I have a 3G 30 gig regular iPod I only wanted it for a few songs with ultra mobility anyway. Now not until they make a major jump in the high end iPods (like if they add video out capability and maybe viewing goggles for full screen anywhere), will I think about upgrading the big one.