14 DAY TRIAL // Reports are coming in saying Apple has accidentally released iTunes Match to Europe, Canada and Australia, with numerous users confirming the mistake on Cupertino’s behalf.
One EU user in particular claims to have received the following email from Apple a couple of days ago:
“Dear Peter,
This email confirms that you have purchased a 1-Year subscription to iTunes Match for 24,99 € on 11/12/11. This subscription will automatically renew each year unless you turn it off no later then 24 hours before the end of your current subscription period. To cancel the automatic renewal of this subscription, sign in to iTunes with your Apple ID and go to your Account Information page.
Regards, The iTunes Store team”
Two days later, the same person then received confirmation from Apple that it was, indeed, a mistake.
As highlighted by 9to5mac, Peter wrote on Twitter, “I managed to buy iTunes Match in Europe two days ago. Now they told me it was mistake and returned the money.”
In Canada Apple charged a handful of customers C$27.99 and in Australia some people also got the annual subscription for AU$39.99. UK customers got charged £21.99. Everyone likely got their refund, just like Peter.
It does seem that Apple is planning to make the international rollout, since they’ve already fixed the pricing, and all the backend stuff appears to be in place with references to territories outside America.
The mistake most likely has to do with the iTunes Store launch across Latin America this week.
Brazil and 15 other Latin American territories have been given the go ahead to start purchasing music, movies, books and more, through the iTunes Interface, and people there can also subscribe to iTunes Match, the service that upgrades your music to iTunes Plus when matched to the over 20 million songs in the iTunes Store catalog.
Apple must have accidentally flipped the international switch when the rollout was underway.