Australia grills Apple and other technology titans over price.

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/globe-investor/australia-to-grill-apple-others-on-pricing/article8435133/

The Australian Government is summoning Apple, Microsoft, and Adobe due to their high priced product despite the strong Aussie dollar. The Apple executives are to meet in front of parliamentary comitee in Canberra on March 22. Things that led to the rise in concern are prices such as: A 16GB WiFi iPad costing $40 more in Australia relative to the US, and Microsoft's latest version of Microsoft office costing $20 more in Australia. The companies blamed each other when asked why they refused to appear before, saying that they won't show if the others don't. Apple has been notorious for using "a cloak of invisibility" while avoiding scrutiny of operations."Ask anyone hwo has sought answers from them about their Australian operations and you will hear a common theme. They will not talk". (Ed Rusic, MP).

I feel that with all the legal action that Apple has taken against other companies it is a bit ironic that they should come under fire and that they are so reluctant to appear in front of the officials. I also feel that since the Australian dollar is very strong right now, the overpricing of non-manufactured product, such as Microsoft's Office and Adobe's programs, is absurd. Products like that have no manufacturing costs and virtually zero shipping costs because it is done online mostly.