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Stormbringer

macrumors regular
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Jul 20, 2007
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It occurred to me that many Apps are in the American App Store but no in my Dutch Store. If I change the language, I can browse everywhere, but when downloading iTunes says (in Dutch): "Your iTunes account is only valid in the Dutch App Store".

I don't think that's fair, why do they do that? If it was a GPS app that uses the internet and is made for the American market I would understand. But I'm talking about Photoshop, stuff from Nikon and Canon, and other pretty simple apps.

Anyway, is there a way I can download apps from the American App Store?
 
The only way to download US Apps is to set up a new US iTunes account. Sounds simple, doesn't it, but it isn't as easy as you think.

The problem is setting up a payment method, as whatever payment method you set your account up with really needs a US address for verification.

I'm not an iTunes expert in any way, but the way I did it was:

Sign out of your current (Dutch) iTunes account, you will then get an option to create a new account.

You can then set up a new account (new e-mail login) and choose USA as your country, and just use any US address (made up ones are fine, just make sure you use a valid ZIP code).

You will next get to the section where you set up your payment details. Here is where it gets a bit tricky. I tried 6 different (UK) based credit cards, with all manner of combinations of addresses, but none of them would work, so what I did was this:

You can get free promo codes on this site, and one of the plus (or minus points, depending on how you view them) is that these promo codes only work on a US iTunes account. But you can use this promo code as your initial payment set up. I can't remember the exact bit you click on on the payment setup page (it might be, redeem code, or select payment option later, and it take you to a screen where you can enter the promo code). I'm sure you can work it out from the payment setup page.

Anyway, once you have done this, you will have set up your US iTunes account, and you can switch between your Dutch account and US account simply by signing out and signing in again with whichever login you want to use.

However, in your US account, you now have the problem with funding your purchases, as although you have set your US account up (using your free promo code), you still haven't set up any paymnet method to purchase apps.

The only way I have found to fund this is to purchase US iTunes gift cards. I usually pick one up in the US whilst I am out there (I usually go out once/twice per year and pick up a $25 iTunes gift card whilst I am there). You can then simply use the Redeem option in iTunes and redeem yout US iTunes gift card, and this will apply the credit to your account, and negate the need to have any sort of credit card on file.

You can also get US iTunes gift cards (quite easily, but at a premium) on various sites or Ebay, or maybe someone on these forums who is based in the US can help you out.

Anyway, once you have your US apps installed into your US iTunes accounts, you can simply sync your iPhone to iTunes and it will sync all of your apps to your iPhone (both US and Dutch).

Best of luck,
Kevin.
 
Great Kevin, thank you very much for your extensive reply! :) I'll surely try your suggestion tomorrow!

@lllll: Are you referring to jailbrake? Because I'm not planning to do that. If not, could you please be more specific?
 
I've been trying and trying, but I don't seem to manage to get past this page:
M8T


And where do you get the "promo codes"? By the way, I have PayPal, but I guess that wouldn't work because my Dutch address is linked there, right?
 
I picked up a Canadian iTunes card while visiting there this summer, and I got back to Japan hoping to download some games only available in the U.S. I discovered I could download music and movies, but not apps from the Canadian iTunes store.

I set up my Canadian and American accounts by going to those iTune Stores, clicking on 'buy' for a free app, then filling the addresses with real postal codes (parent's house in Canada and an Apple Shop in the U.S.). It was pretty simple back in June.

KevinM2, have you been able to download American apps recently?
 
I still have $5.05 accredited to my Canadian iTunes account, and I just now tried downloading a $4.99 app. I got a pop up saying I didn't have sufficient funds, and that I could go to my account and fill in the necessary info. Pretty much what happened last time I tried to download a Canadian app in September. Getting a free app from the Canadian iTunes shop was easy in June. I think Apple's closing some loopholes.
 
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