I can't speak for Europe but what makes you think that
"the iPod is still one of the, if not the most, popular MP3 players in all of Asia"? All of Asia?!! Other than a 50+% share in the Japanese & Australian markets, the iPod is considered just one of thousands of generic MP3 players in the rest of Asia. In important (& huge) markets like China & South Korea, Apple's market share is so small it would be listed under "Others" in a pie-chart. Not dissing Apple here but facts are facts.
Why Apple Doesn't Need the iTunes Store