Apple Music comes to Alexa in Australia and New Zealand via Echo, Fire TV & Sonos devices
The Apple Music-Alexa integration has expanded to customers in Australia and New Zealand after launching in the United Kingdom and Ireland in April.
New Zealand
Apple Maps lane guidance expands to New Zealand, Belgium, Netherlands & Sweden
Apple Maps now provides lane guidance in four additional countries—New Zealand, Belgium, Netherlands and Sweden—bringing the number of markets where this feature is available to eleven.
Macs bought in Australia or New Zealand now have 3-year warranty
Mac fans in Australia or New Zealand now enjoy warranty coverage for up to three years without having to purchase an additional extended AppleCare warranty.
Pandora shutters service in Australia and New Zealand after five years
In what could only be described as a cost-cutting move, Pandora’s run in Australasia has come to an end.
For the last ten years, Apple paid taxes to Australia instead of New Zealand
The New Zealand Herald’s analysis of the local subsidiary’s financial statements has revealed that for the last ten years, Apple paid taxes to the Australian Tax Office instead of New Zealand’s Inland Revenue. The Cupertino company appears to have paid out $37 million in income taxes from sales generated in New Zealand, but to Australia’s tax authority.
Apple’s 2017 Back to School promo launches in Australia, New Zealand & Japan
Apple today kicked off its annual Back to School promotion across Australia, New Zealand and Japan. Advertised under the “Back to Uni” tagline, these deals offer students, teachers and university staff members an Apple Store credit in exchange for a qualified iMac, Mac Pro, MacBook/Air/Pro or iPad Pro purchase made from February 7 to March 16.
The promotion is combinable with educational pricing discounts on Macs, iPads and AppleCare products. Built-to-order Mac models qualify for these deals as well, but refurbished devices and lower-cost computers like Mac mini do not.
Apple’s Black Friday deals are about gift cards, exclude latest products
Apple has launched its Black Friday deals today in Australia and New Zealand through its online store and retail locations in both countries ahead of similar one-day deals scheduled to launch in other markets tomorrow. The one-day shopping event in Australia and New Zealand offers customers free Apple Store gift cards worth up to A$200 or NZ$215 with the purchase of certain products like select models of the iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch, Mac and Apple TV.
Apple Pay arrives in New Zealand, faces uphill battle as large banks continue to attempt lock out
New Zealand has just joined the ranks of Apple Pay enabled countries on Wednesday, following suit after neighbouring Australia finally introduced the service in May through ANZ Banking Group.
The foray was met with great customer praise in May, when ANZ became the first major bank in the region that decided to buck the trend of openly colluding with rival banks in an effort to prevent Apple Pay from hitting the shores. While Kiwis will undoubtedly be eager to embrace the technology, implementation is not likely to gather significant momentum until the same large players barring Apple Pay from the Australian market (most notably Commonwealth Bank, National Australian Bank, Westpac) come to an agreement over the cut Apple makes with every micro transaction and join ANZ in rolling out the service in both countries.
Back to School promo goes live in New Zealand and Australia with free Beats Solo2 headphones
Apple’s annual Back to School promotion is back with a new deal launching today in Australia and New Zealand. University students, students accepted to a university and parents buying for a university student are being tempted with a free Beats Solo2 on-ear headphones, a $199.95 value, with an eligible Mac purchase.
When purchasing a new MacBook, MacBook Air, MacBook Pro, iMac or iMac with Retina 5K display, customers shall receive an instant credit for the purchase of a pair of Beats Solo2 wired headphones in Gloss Black, Gloss White, Gloss Red or Gloss Blue or wired Beats Solo2 headphones in Space Gray, Silver, Gold or Rose Gold.
Apple Watch goes on sale in New Zealand, Russia and Turkey
Earlier this morning at 7:01am local time, Apple’s wrist-worn device went on sale in three new markets: New Zealand, Russia and Turkey. The Apple Watch is available through the Apple Online Store in New Zealand, Russia and Turkey, in addition to select non-Apple locations.
In Turkey, for example, the device is also available via company-woned brick-and-mortar stores at the Zorlu Center and Akasya Shopping Center in Istanbul. In Russia, the Apple Watch is available for walk-in customers at iPort, Re:Store and C-store outlets. And in New Zealand, the Apple Watch can be purchased in select Apple Stores.
Apple Watch hitting Apple Online Store in New Zealand, Russia and Turkey on July 31
Apple on Tuesday announced a fourth wave of Apple Watch expansion as the device is scheduled to launch in New Zealand, Russia and Turkey on Friday, July 31. The wrist-worn gizmo will be available in these countries from 7:01am local time via the Apple Online Store.
Customers in Turkey will also have the option of picking up their watch in one of Apple’s brick-and-mortar stores at the Zorlu Center and Akasya Shopping Center in Istanbul, as first noted by MacRumors.
Apple Watch hitting New Zealand on July 31
The Apple Watch world tour continues with the impending release in New Zealand on Friday, July 31, starting at 7:01am local time. The release date has been confirmed via an updated product page within the official Apple Store shopping app for the iPhone and iPad, as first discovered by 9to5Mac.
Apple has yet to issue a press release announcing an expanded Apple Watch availability in New Zealand.
The New Zealand launch would be presumably in addition to a few other new markets, too. The wrist-worn device originally launched in April in select markets, including the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia, Canada, China, France, Germany, Hong Kong and Japan.