Apple turns iTunes to a new market frequency: Japan
Apple Computer Inc. is steadily turning iTunes into an international brand and finding a new base of download music customers. On Aug. 4 Apple, No. 17 in the Internet Retailer Top 400 Guide to Retail Web Sites, opened its latest online music store in Japan.
After the first week of availability, more than 1 million songs had been downloaded, the company says. “ITunes has sold twice as many songs in just four days as all the other online music services in Japan sell in one month,” says Apple CEO Steve Jobs.
In Japan, Apple and iTunes are selling downloads priced at 150 yen per song, which is about US$1.38. In Japan, the iTunes music store includes a wide variety of Japanese-language Podcasts such as InterFM, Radio SOTOKOTO and Radio Nikkei. The Japanese iTunes store also includes music from international artists such as U2, Jack Johnson and Björk and over 10,000 audiobooks, including works by Japanese authors.
To create greater availability and drive the sale of downloadable music in Japan, Apple says auto manufacturers Nissan, Mazda and Daihatsu have joined BMW, MINI and Alfa Romeo to deliver iPod integration with their car stereos for their 2006 model lines.
Japan is Apple’s latest international market. In May, Apple and iTunes expanded into Denmark, Norway, Sweden and Switzerland.
ITunes reports that it now reaches more than 70% of the global music market with online stores serving 19 countries and more than 500 million songs purchased and downloaded worldwide.
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