Apple May Offshore iTunes To Duck Taxes

from the wouldn't-you? dept

theodp writes "Taking a page from other retailers, Apple has reportedly confirmed that it is investigating the possibility of setting up an online iTunes store in the Channel Islands so its UK customers can avoid having to pay VAT thanks to the use of a loophole that's been termed a cynical tax dodge." Of course, if you're a business, it's hard to see why you wouldn't want to do such a thing. While it's fun to try to blame businesses for taking a "tax dodge," it's hard to blame them when all of your competitors are doing the same thing.
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  • identicon
    Anonymous Coward, 17 Jan 2006 @ 3:31am

    cyberimage

    Steve Jobs, "Michael Dell Can't Predict Future"...

    As Apple's stratospheric rise continues, Apple CEO Steve Jobs shared a jab at Dell chairman Michael Dell with employees via e-mail on Friday. The comments are a response to a 1997 comment by Dell, who was asked what he'd do with Apple, then financially struggling and near collapse.

    "What would I do?" Dell responded. "I'd shut it down and give the money back to the shareholders." A few weeks later at Apple's official announcement of Jobs' return, with a picture of Dell's face covered by a bull's-eye, Jobs said, "You're in our sights."

    On Friday, Apple's market capitalization passed that of Dells. The company is now worth $72.13 billion, versus Dell's $71.97 billion.

    Shortly following the market close, Jobs sent an e-mail to employees, showing he hadn't forgotten Dell's comments nearly eight years later.

    "Team, it turned out that Michael Dell wasn't perfect at predicting the future. Based on today's stock market close, Apple is worth more than Dell. Stocks go up and down, and things may be different tomorrow, but I thought it was worth a moment of reflection today. Steve."

    Dell was not returning requests for comment.

    The stock price is high yes, but that means nothing as far as the worth of the company... remember the DOT coms.

    link to this | view in chronology ]

    • identicon
      ?, 17 Jan 2006 @ 4:37am

      Re: cyberimage

      They beet Dell, but they didn't beet the PC, or Windows. Dell, while huge, only holds a small share of the PC market world wide.

      And, I might add that while both Dell and Mac make computers, they really hold different audiences.

      link to this | view in chronology ]

      • identicon
        ?, 17 Jan 2006 @ 4:38am

        Re: cyberimage

        drat. should have said beat.

        link to this | view in chronology ]

        • identicon
          pooopstainzmcgraw, 17 Jan 2006 @ 6:06am

          Re: cyberimage

          Wow, you both are talking out of your rear ends. You might want to look up something called "facts".

          Please let me know if you find information showing Apple's growth is overvalued in its P/E compared to Dell. (It was a stupid comment from Dell and he deserved the retort.)

          PC is not a company, theres nothing to "beet". It standards for Personal Computer. Windows is a product not a company. Microsoft the developer of Windows owns a significant stake in Apple, so Im sure they are enjoying Apple's success as well.

          Thanks for the brilliant commentary though guys.

          link to this | view in chronology ]

          • identicon
            0olong, 17 Jan 2006 @ 6:13am

            Re: cyberimage

            Wow, I guess I don't have anything to say now....

            link to this | view in chronology ]

            • identicon
              al zoony, 17 Jan 2006 @ 7:44am

              Re: cyberimage

              so, what was the point of these artice?
              a. "Beeting" Dell, PC.
              b. Could it be the rise of Apple under jobs direction?
              c. Dell is an idiot?
              d. Microsoft sucks
              e. Apple people think they are better than PC
              f. I do not get it

              GRE/SAT question here very tough it seems

              link to this | view in chronology ]

              • identicon
                Rikko, 17 Jan 2006 @ 7:52am

                Re: cyberimage

                Awesome, no one can comment on the article that this whole thread is about.

                For what it's worth, Mike, I fail to see the problem. If the mechanism is in place then I don't see any reason why a business shouldn't be allowed to exploit it. There's no environmental or social damage being done here - it's a flawed tax structure.

                The British Columbia government is presently trying to get the province of Alberta to release records on BC citizens shopping there - they're now claiming that people who drive across the provincial border to buy their stuff there (where there is no 7% Provincial Sales Tax) are "tax evaders". Ridiculous.

                link to this | view in chronology ]

              • identicon
                Mike, 17 Jan 2006 @ 8:51am

                Re: cyberimage

                Ok, first stop making fun of the "beet" thing - it was quickly caught by the writer and fixed.
                Next "jobs" is with a big "J" because it is a name!!
                Third "tough" should be tuff. Seems like you probably failed your GRE's and got a low, low score on your SAT's
                Finally, there is nothing wrong with finding a loophole in a system and using it to your advantage - as long as it is legal!! If you were attacked one day, and eight years later you could shove it back in their face, wouldn't you?

                link to this | view in chronology ]

                • identicon
                  Anonymous Coward, 17 Jan 2006 @ 9:21am

                  Re: cyberimage

                  >> Ok, first stop making fun of the "beet" thing - it was quickly caught by the writer and fixed.
                  >> Next "jobs" is with a big "J" because it is a name!!
                  >> Third "tough" should be tuff. Seems like you probably failed your GRE's and got a low, low score on your SAT's


                  Dear Mr. Alphabet Policeman, thank you for the lesson in spelling and proper nouns. but if you would like to be 100% correct in your spelling lesson, "tough" in the sense that was used above, is actually "tough" (adj; Physically hardy, Demanding or troubling; difficult, Strong-minded) and not "tuff" (french/old Italian noun; hard volcanic rock composed of compacted volcanic ash)

                  And by "big "J"", I assume that you meant to write "Capitol 'J'", because no matter how big you make a lowercase 'j', it will always just be a lowercase 'j'.

                  Now back on topic please.

                  link to this | view in chronology ]

          • identicon
            ztirffritz, 17 Jan 2006 @ 8:54am

            Re: cyberimage

            For the last time....Microsoft no longer owns a portion of Apple. Years ago they purchased some stock. They held it for a few years, then they sold it...at a nice profit to boot.

            link to this | view in chronology ]

      • identicon
        slawhorn, 17 Jan 2006 @ 9:53am

        Re: cyberimage

        Small percentage? I wouldn't call 33% that small.

        link to this | view in chronology ]

    • identicon
      Anonymous Coward, 17 Jan 2006 @ 11:59am

      ROFL :-)

      um Ok, so Apple uses a legal strategy to help CONSUMERS dodge a tax, Jobs sticks it back to Dell (well deserved I might add and a good employee moral thing to do) we alsos have learned that "tough" and "tuff" mean different things and that no matter how big you make a lowercase j its still lowercase. So don't "beet" the bushes looking for bad grammatical errors.....

      ROFL
      Actually I find reading the comments funnier and more entertaining than reading the actual articles. So everyone wonders how business could be more productive? Keep the employees off the message boards and and stay focused. LOL

      now "nuff sed I'm tuff ta beet"

      My dad beat up your dad!
      Microsoft owns my shoes!
      Apple is so way bettter shore nuff

      You guys crack me up.

      PS:
      all mispellings, bad punctuation, off topic snide remarks, and poor grammar is soley my fault.
      No keyboard was injured during the writing of this comment

      link to this | view in chronology ]

      • identicon
        pooopstainzmcgraw, 18 Jan 2006 @ 9:10am

        Re: ROFL :-)

        I just want to say I am getting the last word on this topic and that word is "beet".

        link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    someone, 17 Jan 2006 @ 9:44am

    Why not Russia

    If Itunes is going to move out of the country to avoid taxes, they should move to Russia then they can sell songs as cheap as allofmp3.com.
    Whohoo cheap songs for everyone!!!!!

    link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    Aion kinah, 14 Nov 2009 @ 1:33am

    Buy Aion kinah

    Thanks for your share.I have reed it.

    link to this | view in chronology ]


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