Gifting an "App."
Can I, from the U.K., gift an "App." to a friend with a U.S. iTunes account ?
DM
Mac Mini 2010, iPhone 4, iPad 2, Nano 6, Mac OS X (10.6.7)
Can I, from the U.K., gift an "App." to a friend with a U.S. iTunes account ?
DM
Mac Mini 2010, iPhone 4, iPad 2, Nano 6, Mac OS X (10.6.7)
No.
Sorry.
That seems really odd - I don't see the logic in that. And presumably it can't work the other way either - weird !
DM
Digital Rights at play. There is no way for the owner of the apps (or it's "intellectual content") to know that if you gave it to someone, that you dutifully deleted it from your own devices and are not still using it.
I know, back in the day, people swapped software discs all the time, but that did not make it technically legal, nor fair to developers to do so. Now, with remote distribution of software, especially much of that in the app store which does represent the efforts of single individuals, there are new attempts to control distribution to legal avenues that help ensure the developer gets fair payment for their property.
I'm not saying you are consciously trying to do anything unethical or illegal, just trying to give a reason why it is so, and why, from the viewpoint of a developer, it is not that odd.
Michael Black wrote:
Digital Rights at play. There is no way for the owner of the apps (or it's "intellectual content") to know that if you gave it to someone, that you dutifully deleted it from your own devices and are not still using it.
This has nothing to do with it.
When you Gift an app, it is paid for with your iTunes account but the app is given to the giftee in their iTunes account.
You cannot download the app without purchasing it for yourself.
It's not possible in this case because gifts can only be given to someone using the same country store as the person sending the gift (can't do cross border gifting).
See this -> http://www.apple.com/itunes/gifts/
Does the same problem occur if I send my friend with the U.S. iTunes a/c - an "iTunes Gift Card" purchased in England ?
If so that makes it impossible for me to give him any sofware "App."
Correct.
If you have an iTunes account in the UK iTunes store, you can only gift to someone with a UK iTunes account (or that can create an account in the UK iTunes store).
I meant by the above additional question the plastic "iTunes Gift cards" sold in various places in the UK.
(I now understand I cannot gift an "App." from the UK to someone with a US iTunes a/c.)
I see nothing on the shop displays here that says ithe card can only be redeemed in UK; they do not appear to have any restriction as to Country of use.
It should state on the back of the card that it can only be redeemed in the iTunes store of the country where purchased.
http://store.apple.com/us/help/gifting
"Gift Cards and Certificates are valid for use only in the country in which they were purchased. Only residents of the U.S may redeem gift certificates purchased in the U.S."
"Gift Certificates, iTunes Cards, Content Codes, and Allowances purchased in the United Kingdom may be redeemed through the Stores only in the United Kingdom."
http://www.apple.com/legal/itunes/uk/terms.html#SALE
Look in the section titled GIFT CERTIFICATES, ITUNES CARDS, ALLOWANCES, AND CONTENT CODES
You can shop for gifts in the local iTunes Store and have gifts delivered in 15 European countries, the the USA is not included. http://store.apple.com/uk/browse/campaigns/cross_border?mco=MTM3ODM3MDY
Thanks - but to me that is just plain silly - about the same level as regional coding on videos - unnecessary barriers to customer choice.
Gifting an "App."