HT204411: What can I buy from the iTunes Store in my country?

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Caudie
Level 1 (1 points)

Q: Why are games & music not available for purchase from AppStore & iTunes for south Africa?

I get a cannot connect to ITunes error when trying to access iTunes store.  Also I cannot doWnload certain games from AppStore.  After searching I found out that these options are not available in South Africa.  What would the reason be that certain countries don't have access to these options?

Logic Studio

Posted on Aug 6, 2012 8:05 PM

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Caudie

Q: Why are games & music not available for purchase from AppStore & iTunes for south Africa?

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  • by Niel,

    Niel Niel Aug 6, 2012 8:06 PM in response to Caudie
    Level 10 (314,264 points)
    Mac OS X
    Aug 6, 2012 8:06 PM in response to Caudie

    Because Apple doesn't have permission from the copyright holder to sell them there.

     

    (68605)

  • by Caudie,

    Caudie Caudie Aug 6, 2012 10:29 PM in response to Niel
    Level 1 (1 points)
    Aug 6, 2012 10:29 PM in response to Niel

    Unbelievable

  • by Caudie,

    Caudie Caudie Aug 6, 2012 10:35 PM in response to Niel
    Level 1 (1 points)
    Aug 6, 2012 10:35 PM in response to Niel

    As much as I would like to click on this solved my question it didn't.  I still cannot download via iTunes or AppStore.  As I mentioned elsewhere, as a business owner I would think that developers would definitely want to explore the potential income streams from countries such as South Africa.  I can't help wondering if there are costs from Apple's side that cause it not be worth it for these developers.

  • by Marioskaapies,

    Marioskaapies Marioskaapies Sep 14, 2012 11:42 PM in response to Niel
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Sep 14, 2012 11:42 PM in response to Niel

    Oh bulldust, how come Samsung, Sony, LG etc ecosystems/products can sell/download/upload similar if not the same content that is available in the iTunes store here in South Africa... Apple INC couldn't give a flying ffffffffffffffffff about their clients in South Africa.....but they still advertise the Apple producta with the same vigor and very smalll fine print....... Which is against the law and Consumer Act of South Africa.....

  • by thyondesign,

    thyondesign thyondesign Oct 4, 2012 8:35 AM in response to Niel
    Level 1 (10 points)
    iCloud
    Oct 4, 2012 8:35 AM in response to Niel

    Niel is not providing correct information here. Apple disabled the games category for an unknown reason here in South Africa on both Mac and iOS stores. There is no barrier or any kind of legal block to prevent them from selling games in South African, as games are freely available (other online stores, XBOX, PS3 and physical media) to anyone, except from Apple. We can only wonder why?

  • by ascott57,

    ascott57 ascott57 Oct 13, 2012 12:05 PM in response to thyondesign
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Oct 13, 2012 12:05 PM in response to thyondesign

    Apparently because the SA Film & Publications Board demands a rating for each game, at R2000 a pop.

  • by thyondesign,

    thyondesign thyondesign Oct 13, 2012 1:34 PM in response to ascott57
    Level 1 (10 points)
    iCloud
    Oct 13, 2012 1:34 PM in response to ascott57

    Hey ascott57. This is also disinformation. I have personally spoken to the head approver of games in the FPB in South Africa. The rating charge is only applicable for DISC-based games that are sold in stores, so that parents can identify the games for an age group and also for stores to know when not to sell a game. When a game is sold on a mobile system, it is automatically exempt from this rating system, as the selling platform has automatic parental guidance systems built-in.

     

    There is NO reason why developers are not allowed to publish games to South Africa on the iTunes App Store or Mac App Store. This is Apple not having a section, so developers cannot even target that category, because it simply doesn't even exist.

     

    I registered as a games developer for iOS and when I found out that if I develop games for iOS, I can't even publish it to my own country, I let my developer registration lapse on purpose in protest.

  • by ascott57,

    ascott57 ascott57 Oct 13, 2012 1:42 PM in response to thyondesign
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Oct 13, 2012 1:42 PM in response to thyondesign

    Thanks for clarifying, Thyon.  I've been wondering... I'm also a developer, and my first app has been available almost everywhere except South Africa.  I can confirm, though, that South Africa is listed as a destination when you publish a game through iTunesConnect - I selected 'All', and it fails slitently.  Just never appears here, but I've had sales in a dozen other countries.

     

    Hard to believe it's just a whim, though.  I had a woman from Apple call me the other day regarding my registration (I'm switching from a personal to a corporate account), should have had the presence of mind to ask her.