CommSec, an Australian financial and share services company, launched the “iPod Index” in October 2007.<\/p>\n
The principle is similar to that of The Economist’s “Big Mac Index,” CommSec said when they released their first report. “Both indexes work on the theory of ‘same good, same price’. That is, that the same good should trade at broadly the same price across the globe if exchange rates are adjusting properly.”<\/p>\n
Despite the principles behind it the index has remained controversial with detractors pointing out such factors as customs tariffs and import duties which aren’t taken into account.<\/p>\n
In South Africa, the iPod attracts a 25% import duty over regular taxes. This would by default make the South African price a factor higher than in other markets. Other markets, such as Australia, also have fairly steep tariffs and taxes.<\/p>\n
Regardless of the pitfalls of the comparison, it remains interesting to see how South Africa’s pricing on technology stacks up against that of the rest of the world.<\/p>\n
| \n iPod Pricing Comparison<\/span><\/strong><\/div>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n <\/td>\n | iPod Shuffle 4 GB<\/strong><\/td>\n | iPod Nano 8 GB<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n | Hong Kong<\/td>\n | U$ 75.69 (HK$588)<\/td>\n | U$ 150.35 (HK$1168)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n | US<\/td>\n | U$ 79<\/td>\n | U$ 149<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n | Australia<\/td>\n | U$ 97.71 (A$109)<\/td>\n | U$ 178.39 (A$199)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n | Germany<\/td>\n | U$ 96.42 (€75)<\/td>\n | U$ 178.68 (€139)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n | New Zealand<\/td>\n | U$ 91.52 (N$129)<\/td>\n | U$ 183.78 (N$259)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n | UK<\/td>\n | U$ 93.53 (£60)<\/td>\n | U$ 183.95 (£118)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n | Mexico<\/td>\n | U$ 98.23 (M$1249)<\/td>\n | U$ 184.68 (M$2349)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n | Malaysia<\/td>\n | U$ 93.95 (RM299)<\/td>\n | U$ 188.217 (RM599)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n | Phillipines<\/td>\n | U$ 96.72 (P4390)<\/td>\n | U$ 193.69 (P8790)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n | South Africa<\/td>\n | U$ 123.45 (R899)<\/td>\n | U$ 233.33 (R1699)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n | Brazil<\/td>\n | U$ 185.99 (R$329)<\/td>\n | U$ 327.30 (R$579)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n | Collected on 11 August 2010 from http:\/\/store.apple.com<\/a><\/span><\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table><\/div>\n | CommSec’s report from October 2009 listed South Africa fourth last, just ahead of Brazil, Argentina and Iceland.<\/p>\n The rankings haven’t seemed to change much since the last iPod Index and it’s difficult to foresee that they will by the time the next iPod Index is released.<\/p>\n |