While it makes sense that hardware could cost more in one country compared to another due to the different taxes and laws in place, one has to wonder if that could affect digital downloads, like app prices for example. Yup it looks like the Australian government has started asking questions as to why app prices in Australia cost more when compared to other countries. Both Apple and Microsoft have been asked to explain the reasoning behind that. According the Sydney Morning Herald:
Consumer advocate Choice, which had been lobbying for an investigation of the price differential, welcomed the inquiry … The excuses overseas technology companies used to justify the higher prices, such as the small size of the market, the cost of setting up support centres and the imposition of local taxes and duties, were not acceptable, Choice spokeswoman Ingrid Just said.
What do you guys think? Are the prices justified or do you think that given how the Australian dollar is stronger than the US dollar, it should at the very least be priced similarly if not cheaper?
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