App Store launches in Nepal along with 31 other countries

Finally, Apple App store launches in 32 more countries along with Nepal in the list. Tim Cook from Apple App Store has announced in WWDC (Worldwide Developers Conference) that the App Store was going to be launched in 32 additional countries. This makes the total countries to access App Store has become 155. Now Nepalese App Store users can use their local address (and easier payment ?) to purchase service from iTunes stores into their Apple devices.

[box title=”Apple Store vs App Store” color=”#333333″]Please do NOT to be confused with Apple store which is Apple’s store selling hardware and software and is different from App store being discussed here. App Store is the one you use in iTunes for your iPhone, iPad and iPod devices.[/box]

What does App Store launch in Nepal mean for us?

• Users can most probably create Apple IDs with Nepalese address and make purchase on App Store.
• This helps Nepali and/or international app developers to develop and promote apps related with Nepal.
• It is likely that we can get more local iOS apps in the Apps Store for Nepal (considering Apple gives priorities to their policy adhering apps developer from their local market.)

What can Nepalese users purchase from App Store?

Well, it is the same thing what others would do in other countries or even most of us doing now even without using our Nepalese identity. Nepalese App Store users might have access to music, apps, books, movies, ringtones, alert tones, books and games from Apple App store for iPhone and iPad (and supported iOS devices.) However, it is possible that Apple can limit the services that can be purchased from App store in certain countries.

We still doubt on the mode of payment. While we don’t have any established international payment in Nepal yet (Read: Online payment options in Nepal) , such stores would only attract few of the high end (rich?) users who are able to use international credit cards; and sadly this is not new (they have been doing this for years.)

We expect to see the flag of Nepal in iTune Store (aka App Store) soon in this official Apple Support page-   iTunes Store: Which types of items can I buy in my country?

New App Store Countries

The new enclosure of App Stores highlights that Apple is invading more Asian and African markets, the new App store countries are Albania, Benin, Bhutan, Burkina Faso, Cambodia, Cape Verde, Chad, Republic of the Congo, Fiji, Gambia, Guinea-Bissau, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Liberia, Malawi, Mauritania, Federated States of Micronesia, Mongolia, Mozambique, Namibia, Nepal, Palau, Papua New Guinea, São Tomé and Príncipe, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Solomon Islands, Swaziland, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, and Zimbabwe.

Hope Apple will soon open their official support and physical store in Nepal!