Yes, but when you're buying a jacket.. or a DVD (a lot of jurisdictions, it's not illegal to have a region free player, only to circumvent copy protection - copy protection and region locking being distinct concepts that often vendors will attempt to intertwine but are distinct as aims).. or a CD, you can import it from that cheaper market - in some cases still cheaper with shipping than if you bought it locally even factoring in local consumption taxes. Sure, it might have some different promotional tracks, or different "extra features", or different language options in the subtitles... but the core content's generally going to be the same.
Case in point. I have an Android phone. I needed an MHL adaptor. I checked local retailer ... $40AUD
I checked a retailer online.. $30AUD - shipped..
It took a week to arrive, but arrive it did.
With digitally distributed, geo-IP locked content - you lose that ability to shop across markets. To me, it sends the wrong signals to charge one group of people one price, and another group of people another price for the mostly the same content when it's available on the same global network. In essence, you're punishing people who you're trying to ween off the "internet is free" mentality into the world of subscriptions and micropayments.
Don't get me wrong, I don't hate spotify in and of itself - I've been using it a lot at work of late and a lot of friends, both in Australia and internationally have given it a go. It's totally awesome to be able to hear something on the radio or in a movie or on TV.. tag it with Shazam or Google Music Search.. and then to key it into Spotify and hear it play on demand. It's also totally awesome that there's a linux client available - which although in alpha - works.. stably.. (one reason you'll never find me buying an Apple product is the whole 'thalt shall use iTunes' mantra)... and ok, maybe I'm not your average consumer (running Linux on the desktop, stock Android on my phone with root access, bearded and a system administrator - living stereotype much?).. but I'm interested in doing the right thing, and I know content has to move to pay with advertising revenues falling and content, well, more generally intellectual property, increasingly becoming a new and renewable commodity in a world where consumption of physical resources needs to be curtailed.
I know the local record companies probably play into the mix.. and that by taking a segmented market approach as opposed to a global market approach, there's probably a certain "flagfall" cost in smaller markets that means a higher cost as the smaller markets won't be able to match the economies of scale that would enable larger markets to charge a lower price per user but still make more by having more room to play with the margins. I guess it just grinds my gears that the price for the same 1s and 0s is higher.
I guess we'll see what happens if/when spotify considers mobile provider partnerships (especially in countries like Australia where unlimited data often has many asterisks/T&Cs, doesn't exist or costs a lot), and if the AUD should fall against the USD (we're holding above parity for awhile now)... if the price will rise then or hold?
I'll probably succumb when my advertising supported listening is cut back to 2.5 hours a week if I'm still working in a business that allows employees to stream 🙂 .. I guess it's just being so familiar with what the currency's doing and initially being very interested in mobile streaming - and having heard things on US sites talking about the price - to find out, "no, you actually pay more".. well.. it kinda dulled the shine a bit.
I hope you find my post (although perhaps a bit long winded) polite. I believe such conversations are always best dealt with in an even tone.. and again FWIW, I do thoroughly enjoy and congratulate you on providing a working linux client... and in an apt repository at that!
