Apple “intends to expand its presence in Russia in the near future. CNews found out the online shop iTunes Store would be available to Russian users April 21st, 2008. Evgeny Chichvarkin, Euroset’s owner, believes ‘the given step proves Apple’s interest in legal iPhone sales in Russia,'” CNews reports.
“The billboard[s], made in the iPhone style, appeared in Moscow on Friday, April 4th. The CNews’ correspondents saw such billboards in Arbat and Barklay st. According to sources, the teasers were noticed in at least three other places in Moscow,” CNews reports.
CNews reports, “There is an inscription ‘iSkoro 21.04.2008’ (iSoon 21.04.2008) similar to the one used on the iPhone package against the black background of the billboards.”
Full article, featuring a rough-in-places English translation, here.
[Attribution: MacNN. Thanks to MacDailyNews Reader “Fred Mertz” for the heads up.]
Good. Now – PLEASE, APPLE – open iTunes Baltics (one store for Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania would be ok). How come we even have MTV in each country, but no iTunes???
Bender, we’re talking about music here. Why would you bring MTV into this…?
@ Bender:
There’s a lot legal wrangling (mainly with the labels) involved in opening iTunes stores. Still, I hope they make it available to as many countries as possible.
it’s about time. russia has become a rich country over the last 5 years and will be among the 10 most powerful economies within the next decade. and russians like sophisticated quality products. they are not cheap when they start to be able to afford consumer electronics as more and more people do. should be a big market for apple soon. so hurry apple!
Is the work “Russia” the reason why for the very first time I am getting these “Russian Beauty” google ads on the side of MDN now? I don’t look at stuff I am not supposed to on my work computer and even after clearing my cache etc I am still getting these dumb ads.
Maybe people are going to stop reading MDN at work if these are the types of ads that MDN is supporting as many companies look at the web traffic of employees.
Right now you’ve got to think the more stores the better. Go for it, Apple.
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I wonder if language packs for Russian are coming to the OS, too.
Are the downloads going to cost 1¢ and you have to give your credit card number out to some Russian mafioso?
@ bender
i agree. many more mac users / potential itunes / iphone users in the baltics than people might think, especially here in vilnius.
Right,
@ Bender:
We’re talking about music here, why do you bring a PORN channel into the discussion?
We already know that porn benefits from superior distribution system, MTV is everywhere.
@hmmmm….
use the contact link to MDN, and let them know what is happening, I had the same problem with those “Flashing “You Won” banners in Mexico, they were very responsive, said they sub that out internationally, and do not approve every add, they had them removed in a few days
In Soviet Russia, you come to iTunes Store!
Hey people – that was EXACTLY my point! 😀 Why the hell we get trash like MTV, but not good things like iTunes? I mean – seriously – opening a virtual store must be easier than making a TV channel?
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As Trump would say, “This is huge. HUGE. HUUUUGE. It’s gonna be spectacular.”
Russia, China, India and Brazil are the four biggest countries that Apple needed (needs) to figure out how to crack. If true, it’s one down, three to go.
Peace.
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Olmecmystic
P.S. Oh, and don’t forget Canada, eh?
I already get all my music from the Russians
@Bender…. It’s about size of available Market.
Who cares about Russia, China is way ahead of Russia in terms of economic growth, and market size. So, where’s the Chinese iTunes store?
Russian Federation is already #7 world’s biggest economy (will move to #5 in few of years, surpassing the likes of UK and Germany) and #3 in volume of international reserves (now about $700 billion combined with stabilization fund).
Moscow is #1 in quantity of billionaires and expected to top New York in volume of budget in few years.
However, legal music sales market is still mostly absent here and its success more depends on cultural aspects rather than increasing wealth of people. iPhone platform can make it easy to buy music legally so generally never stingy Russians will probably actually start buying legal music.
@ KenC:
Right. Russia is way ahead of China in terms of real economic value, real growth, and approachable target market.
Yes, we got a great western city like Shanghai in China. But, once you look a few miles inland where most of the people are currently located, you see the real economy. Still ages behind the west, the farmers are not likely to get an iPod OR to download anything legally from iTunes in the next decade.
as of march 2008, according to the newest data reported through Bloomberg, russia is the 11th biggest economy. new president Medwedew recently stated that russia wants to be among the top ten within the next 5 years. (so only one place to go, the man seems to keep it real)
Bloomberg is no authority; gross domestic product in PPP (parity of purchase power) is; Russia is #7. Also, Medvedev never talked about Russia being in top 10 in the future since it is in top ten for few years now.
Only UK, and Germany are left to surpass in Europe. Of course, USA, China, Japan, and India will be first five spots. Germany is expected to be surpassed by Russia within five years.
However, actual economics conditions will show if those predictions will be true eventually. But now Russia is #7 with bigger economy that every France, Italy and Brasil, which are #8, #9 and #10
Correction: as of current predictions, “Of course, USA, China, Japan, and India will be first *four* spots” in the furure decades.
Chicvarkin opyat Piaritsya ))
PS: Kak govoritsya bez mila v zhopy vlezet )