Original URL: http://www.theregister.co.uk/2008/07/16/itunes_euro_price_parity/
Falling pound brings iTunes UK into line with Europe
Apple UK escapes price cuts
Posted in Media, 16th July 2008 07:02 GMT
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Apple no longer needs to lower the price of songs on iTunes UK in order to achieve pricing parity with the rest of Europe - fluctuating exchange rates have done the job for it.
Back in January, Apple pledged to unify [1] the cost of dowloads across Europe in order to head of the possibility that it might be forced to do so by European Commission single-market regulators.
At the time, the Mac maker said it would put such a scheme in place within six months.
Half a year on, and Apple admitted today the change has already been made - but by the currency markets, not by Apple.
"The announcement was that we would match the UK price to that of other lower priced European countries," an Apple spokesman told [2] the Beeb.
"This is no longer necessary as exchange rates have effectively done it for us."
In January, 1€ was equivalent to £0.75, though Apple was charging Brits 79p to download a song that would cost other Europeans €0.99.
Now, 1€ equals £0.798, so there's effective price parity.
Shazam.
Well, until the exchange rates shift again... and Brits - or continental Europeans - get the bum deal.