iTunes online music store now available in SA

Although this has come nine years after Apple first introduced its online store‚ the news will be welcomed by its customers who will have access to 20 million songs from international and local artists.

For local musicians‚ the launch of iTunes will provide them with another platform to sell their music given that global physical CD sales were declining because of online.

The launch also comes three months after Simfy Africa introduced its unlimited music download service in South Africa.

Apple said the iTunes would be available in Russia‚ Turkey‚ India‚ South Africa and 52 additional countries featuring an "incredible selection" of local and international music from all the major labels and thousands of independent labels.

The iTunes Store features local artists including Elka in Russia‚ Sezen Aksu in Turkey‚ AR Rahman in India‚ and Zahara in South Africa‚ international artists including The Beatles‚ Taylor Swift and Coldplay‚ and world-renowned classical musicians including Lang Lang‚ Yo Yo Ma and Yuja Wang. Prices range from roughly R6.99 to R8.99 per song.

Apple has also made movies available for rent or purchase from the iTunes Store but for customers in Russia‚ Turkey‚ India and Indonesia.

In its latest report on the entertainment and media outlook‚ global firm PricewaterhouseCoopers stated that global digital recorded music sales will overtake physical in 2015. In South Africa‚ more than 80% of the digital music market is accessed through mobile devices.

PwC expects the combination of broadband and smartphone growth to expand the market for digital music.

"Although now declining at double-digit rates‚ physical music is still the dominant component of recorded music in South Africa. CD sales remain the industry's main source of revenue and will continue to be so during the forecast period‚" said PwC.

It expects growth in broadband and smartphone penetration to fuel a shift from physical to digital music.