Could Copyright Hold Back iPad Sales In Canada And Elsewhere?

from the ah,-licensing dept

Wed, Apr 7th 2010 8:01pm — Mike Masnick

As it's become clear that the iPad is more of a "content delivery vehicle" than an interactive device (and there's nothing wrong with that), people are quickly discovering how regional licensing issues and copyright may hold the device back in some areas. Apparently, as the device gets ready to launch in Canada, there are concerns that there won't be very much content available for it. All that content that US companies rushed out to help "save" their businesses? Well, a lot of it isn't licensed in Canada, and so the store of content available up there is likely to be greatly limited.

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Filed Under: canada, copyright, ipad

22 Comments

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GuyFawkes, 7 Apr 2010 @ 8:19pm

Silly publishers. Want to save their business and they'll give all their power to Apple, who'll start controling who can can cant sell stuff on their store, what can an cant be sold and in the future will profit from the subscription/taxes that they'll charge from the publishers. To be clear: publishers will be in Apple's hands. Lovely. Find you way on the Internet stupid publishers. Pay a lot of money to programmers and you find your way.
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anon, 7 Apr 2010 @ 8:22pm

there are always ways around it. easy to open a US itunes account and download whatever apps you want. and there's always bittorrent for content.
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Anonymous Coward, 7 Apr 2010 @ 8:36pm

Yet another "The iPad will doom Apple!" story on techdirt.
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Anonymous Coward, 7 Apr 2010 @ 8:49pm

Re:
"There's an app* for that."

*not available in Canada
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Anonymous Coward, 7 Apr 2010 @ 8:51pm

Re:
Perhaps you should search for an app that trains you in reading comprehension?
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Tony, 7 Apr 2010 @ 9:07pm

iPad
Anyone notice how copyright has slowed the iPod or iPhone?
Or even your desktop or laptop?
1/2 my "content" comes from Netflix streaming. The other 1/2 is audiobooks.
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milrtime83 (profile), 7 Apr 2010 @ 9:19pm

Re: iPad
You mean like how Canada was (or are they still?) trying to add a copyright tax on all ipods?

And isn't Netflix only available in the US? Which would be precisely the type of content limitation this post is referring to.
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TW Burger (profile), 7 Apr 2010 @ 9:33pm

Not in Canada you say? Pity!
It's OK, we can't recharge them in the igloo anyway.
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Anonymous Coward, 7 Apr 2010 @ 9:50pm

Re: Not in Canada you say? Pity!
But at least your sled dogs keep you warm at night inside the igloo.
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Anonymous Coward, 7 Apr 2010 @ 10:16pm

Re: Re: Not in Canada you say? Pity!
A nice steaming cup of hot maple syrup also helps.
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Anonymous Coward, 7 Apr 2010 @ 10:25pm

Regional Coding
Just wondering, do iPads have "regional coding" (like DVD players) to keep them from using content from outside their home territories?
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mike allen (profile), 8 Apr 2010 @ 12:52am

mmmm
And I was thinking of going back to Canada to escape the digital Econimy bill in the UK.
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Thoraticus, 8 Apr 2010 @ 1:16am

Already Happening
This is already happening in Australia, when the iPad is released in a couple of weeks there will be no Australian iBook store because of publisher and content copyright holders existing agreements.
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harbingerofdoom (profile), 8 Apr 2010 @ 4:14am

say, here's an idea...

dont buy one.

i know, crazy idea right?!
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PaulT (profile), 8 Apr 2010 @ 5:27am

Re:
Where? I don't see one on this page...
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Chronno S. Trigger (profile), 8 Apr 2010 @ 5:39am

Re:
That's right, they jailbroke the iPad Tuesday.
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Marcus Carab (profile), 8 Apr 2010 @ 6:25am

Re:
You're joking, right?
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Hephaestus (profile), 8 Apr 2010 @ 7:15am

Re:
nice icon ...
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crade (profile), 8 Apr 2010 @ 7:59am

It has been the same story with most of these DRM driven devices, usually either the devices or the content are delayed a bit while the U.S. does a little show about how it's all because of our terrible copyright laws.
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Simon, 8 Apr 2010 @ 12:02pm

Re: Re:
"There's an Canadian App* for that."

*not available in Quebec.
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Colin (profile), 8 Apr 2010 @ 1:32pm

Re: Regional Coding
It's not exactly regional coding. Its the fact that the content providers know what IP address you are hitting their server from and can tie that to a region. Sometimes you can get around it with a Proxy Server, plus the aforementioned American iTunes account, but it sure is a pain in the butt. Much easier just to use BitTorrent, or other convenient service.
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The Mad Hatter (profile), 8 Apr 2010 @ 1:44pm

Who cares?
I've looked at the available apps for things like the New York Times, Washington Post, etc., and they really aren't financially viable. And of course the IPad comes with a web browser, so why do you need them?

The apps that will do well, are the specialty ones like Music Reader, a digital music stand - this is great for musicians, rather than carry around a ten pound binder, you carry a 1.5 pound IPad, and it searches for you. The basic applications will be a disaster, just like they are a disaster on the IPhone, the value proposition doesn't exist.
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