Apple Computer is to start selling its popular iPod music and storage devices through the Makro retail chain this week as the US computer manufacturer tests the mass-market waters for its products.
The iPod products are probably the most popular of all Apple`s products in the electronic segment of the IT industry and they have seen great demand from teenagers and those who aspire to be hip and trendy.
SA consumers, along with most Apple fans worldwide, have had only limited access to the various iPod offerings through selected Apple value added resellers.
Apple`s country manager for South Africa, Bruno Verolini, says: "We are also exploring options with other select retailers to sell iPods. We went with Makro first as they have great experience in selling such devices to the mass market."
The bad news is that Makro will only stock the 15 GB iPod for the time being, which is expected to retail for around R3 000. The other 10, 20 and 40GB models may be introduced later in the year.
Apple`s latest iPod product, the mini-iPod MP3 player, is now only expected to go on sale in South Africa from the beginning of July. So far it is only available in the US, which is Apple`s biggest market.
International consumer demand for Apple`s iPods has almost been insatiable and Verolini says that in the quarter ended March this year, some 800 000 iPods were sold worldwide compared to 730 000 sold in the previous quarter.
This news comes on top of Apple celebrating the first anniversary of its iTunes Music Store, which sells songs for 99 US cents each.
According to Apple, in iTunes` first year, music fans purchased more than 70 million songs, making it the number one online music service in the world with more than 70%t market share of legal downloads for singles and albums. iTunes customers are currently purchasing 2.7 million songs per week, a rate of 140 million songs per year.
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