HispanicBusiness

Microsoft and other technology giants have been ordered to stand before an Australian government committee and explain why prices are higher for Aussies than elsewhere in the world.

Apple and Adobe executives were expected to join Microsoft's hearing on Monday, hosted by a lower-house committee, according to a Raw Story report.

"The committee is looking at the impacts of prices charged to Australian consumers for IT products," a committee statement said, according to Raw Story. "Australian consumers often pay much higher prices for hardware and software than people in other countries."

The price differences affect Australians' purchases of music, games, software, and gaming and computer hardware, Raw Story says. For instance, the costs for Australians to download iTunes are roughly 73 percent more than in the United States, the report says.

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