Term 3 Blog Prompt #6 Apple iTunes Music Store

Qn.As of right now, Apple has only allowed the App Store in Singapore, but not the full iTunes Music Store, which means that iPhone owners can buy apps but not music, movies, or books through Apple. Their reason is rampant piracy throughout Asia.

By not allowing Singaporeans to buy from the Itunes Music Store, it will cause undesirable consequences. Firstly, apple would not be able to increase their revenue. Secondly, Singaporeans would not support Apple, knowing that they would not be able to download songs and movies. However, the benefits of this is that Apple can protect their music, movies and songs from piracy, as Asia has a large number of piracy.

Firstly, Apple would not be able to increase their revenue. Evidence shows that people have bought more than 130 million songs per year from the Apple iTunes Music Store. This shows the popularity of the iTunes Music Store, and how, by preventing Singapore to access it, would prevent apple from earning profit. Thus, by not allowing Singapore to access and buy songs from the iTune Store, Apple would be prevent an increase in their revenue.

Secondly, Singaporeans will lose support for Apple. Based on the Straits Time of September 16th 2006, it states that " Apple Computer’s new iTunes movie service will not be available in much of Asia with no prospect of its roll-out in the near future". When Singaporeans know about this, they will lose their faith in apple, and would not support them. This is because they feel that Apple is not being fair, and blocks Singapore from access to music and movies. This, would thus, cause Singaporeans to lose support in Apple.

However, this action is also beneficial in the way that Apple would be able to protect the music, books and movies from privacy, which is rampant around Asia. It states that "Nearly two-third of thew attacks in 1999 occured in Asia". This shows the seriousness of piracy in Asia, and it is not likely to be stopped in the near future. As this shows, Apple's decision to prevent the iTunes Music Store is actually an understandable one to prevent piracy, as the rate of piracy in Asia is just too frequent and rampant. However, the dececion to block the iTunes Music Store in Singapore just because of piracy was just to rash and not clearly thought of. In this case, Apple would have more disadvantages than benefits. They would suffer the loss of profit in Singapore's market, as well as lose the support of some customers of Apple in Singapore. This clearly shows why it was a wrong decision to prevent the iTunes Music Store due to the undesirable consequences.

To conclude, the decision of Apple to prevent Singapore from accessing the iTunes Music Store had undesirable consequences. Such as not being able to increase their revenue in the Singapore market, as well as lose the support of Apple customers, even though they will benefit in the way that they can protect their products.