Apple Launches Movie Downloads in German iTunes Store

[MacRumors]

Apple today announced that it is now offering downloadable movie rentals and purchases through the iTunes Store in Germany.

Apple today announced that movies from major film studios including Paramount Pictures, Warner Bros. Pictures, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios Inc. (MGM), The Walt Disney Studios, Sony Pictures Television and independents including Universum and Shorts International are now available on the iTunes Store in Germany for purchase and rent (www.itunes.de).

The German iTunes Store is offering approximately 500 films at launch, and new movies will be added for sale on the same day as their DVD release. Customers have up to 30 days after purchase to start watching rented movies, and rentals expire 48 hours after viewing begins.

Article Link: Apple Launches Movie Downloads in German iTunes Store

[FrerkLovesApple]

I have been waiting for this to happen since the iTunes Movie Rentals system was announced at Macworld. Although not all movies available in the US Store are offered yet, it's already pretty good. Thank you Apple!
The only thing missing now is the HD versions of movies, that you already have in the US.

[kk1ro]

I know I'm from a small country and all, but...
Apple, please, add movie downloads/rentals to the Portuguese iTunes Store!

[Vmaatta]

Same for Finland. It's simply wrong that TV and movie sales aren't available . Higher broadband penetration than the US etc.

[DrummerB]

But why not Switzerland?? We speak the same language... (well, most of us)

[Teddman]

Really cool feature I´ve been waiting for this so long.
Just rented two movies to check it out and the quality is pretty good for a download. There is however some stuff messed up in the store. Some movies are e.g. german where it says there in english. But I´m sure they´ll fix that soon.

P.S. The rented movies also look very good on our HD-TV.

[WiseWeasel]

People should know better than to purchase DRM'd downloadable content after the whole fiasco with music. Rentals are one thing, and DRM makes sense there, but when you purchase a movie, try to get it on DVD, and then use something like MacTheRipper and the awesome freeware Handbrake to convert it to standard H.264 format, and you can use it on an AppleTV, like the iTunes Store movies, along with any number of 3rd party devices no matter what happens to Apple or the iTunes Store in the future (unlike the iTunes Store movies). Don't get trapped into investing in DRM'd content, you'll just be forced to buy it again eventually when it's no longer supported.

[DanielJvdBerg]

Didn't Steve Jobs said this would be available worldwide end 2008? Load of crap he told us. Broadband penetration is so much higher in Europe then in the USA. Why don't give us the movies we want to buy?! Even in this time of economic crisis you best want to expand you options or not?! Damn it

Greetings from the Netherlands...

[freddiecable]

agree with you! buy dvd. rip. sell.

Originally Posted by WiseWeasel

People should know better than to purchase DRM'd downloadable content after the whole fiasco with music. Rentals are one thing, and DRM makes sense there, but when you purchase a movie, try to get it on DVD, and then use something like MacTheRipper and the awesome freeware Handbrake to convert it to standard H.264 format, and you can use it on an AppleTV, like the iTunes Store movies, along with any number of 3rd party devices no matter what happens to Apple or the iTunes Store in the future (unlike the iTunes Store movies). Don't get trapped into investing in DRM'd content, you'll just be forced to buy it again eventually when it's no longer supported.

[Jack Ryan]

And Spain?

I bought my Apple TV because Jobs said that rentals will be worldwide by 2008.

[speakerwizard]

i think some people dont realise apple cannot just start selling movies in a country, they are not apples movies, every single country has different laws publishers contracts etc etc, and we are talking about quite a few studios in each, it takes time.

[bristleworm]

Finally! I was waiting for this so for so long! Quality is quite good. Now I have no reason not to get myself an Apple TV.

[Veldek]

Originally Posted by freddiecable

agree with you! buy dvd. rip. sell. destroy copy

Fixed that for you, as yours isn't allowed in Germany.

[Goona]

Originally Posted by Jack Ryan

And Spain?

I bought my Apple TV because Jobs said that rentals will be worldwide by 2008.

When did he say that?

[lamadude]

Does anybody know if you can buy the original English version of movies instead of the ones that are dubbed in German? When the lip movement is out of sync it freaks me out.

[flottenheimer]

Envy.
I want movies in the Danish iTunes store now.

Incredible that the movie industry is spending way more time fighting torrent trackers instead of getting into digital distribution.

[MacsRgr8]

Hmmm... so close...!

Yet so far...

[c-Row]

Originally Posted by lamadude

Does anybody know if you can buy the original English version of movies instead of the ones that are dubbed in German? When the lip movement is out of sync it freaks me out.

So far it seems that all movies are available with German dubs only. Being from Belgium, you won't be able to download them anyway except via a gift card I think. If so, you should probably get a UK gift card instead then.

I am from Germany, but I too enjoy watching a movie in its original language every now and then.

[sushi]

Glad to see another area having access to movie purchase and rentals.

Also nice to see that they have a 48 hour viewing period.

In the future, I hope we see a 48 hour viewing period for all locations.

[isgoed]

Originally Posted by WiseWeasel

It's a trap!

People should know better than to purchase DRM'd downloadable content after the whole fiasco with music. Rentals are one thing, and DRM makes sense there, but when you purchase a movie, try to get it on DVD, and then use something like MacTheRipper and the awesome freeware Handbrake to convert it to standard H.264 format, and you can use it on an AppleTV, like the iTunes Store movies, along with any number of 3rd party devices no matter what happens to Apple or the iTunes Store in the future (unlike the iTunes Store movies). Don't get trapped into investing in DRM'd content, you'll just be forced to buy it again eventually when it's no longer supported.

Lol, a weasel in a trap. Your whole rant reminded me so much of the not-so-wise weasel from "The Animals Of Farthing Wood".

By the way it seems that the germans are not so impressed by the iTunes store. Just some comments from "a Quantum Trost":

Originally Posted by christhebär

Der Film hat 5 Sterne verdient .... iTunes leider nicht
Warum soll ich für den Film 13.99 EURO bezahlen, wenn ich die Original Kauf-DVD vor zwei Wochen beim ich-bin-doch-nicht-blöd-Markt für 8.99 EURO bekommen habe?? Was soll denn so ein Preis? Wenn muß das deutlich attraktiver gemacht werden bevor ich...

TRANSLATION: The movie earned 5 stars ..... iTunes unfortunately not
Why should I pay for the movie 13.99 EURO, when I obtained the original-DVD two weeks ago at I-am-certainly-not-stupid-Markt for 8.99 EURO ?? What's up with that price? When they make it obvious more attractive, before I...

Originally Posted by B-Joe

Hinkt der DVD hinterher
Das Folgende gilt für alle Movies derzeit hier im Shop: Kein Sprachwechsel (englisch!), keine Untertitel, kein HD, zu teuer. Erst wenn obiges kommt, würde ich pro Film €14 hinblättern.

TRANSLATION: Stumbles behind the DVD
The following holds for all Movies momentarily in the Shop: No spoken language change (english!), no subtitles, no HD, too expensive. Only when the above comes, will I put €14 pro film on the table.

Originally Posted by djmuzi

Qualität unter aller S... <editor's note: cheiße> unter DVD objektiv ausgedrückt
Für unter-DVD Qualität 14 EUR? No-go! Für HD benötigt man AppleTV-staubfänger-Stromfresser für 299 EUR? - No-Go!

TRANSLATION: Quality beneath all the s.... <editor's note: hit> beneath DVD (objectively expressed)
For worse-than-DVD-quality 14 EUR? No-go! For HD one needs an AppleTV-dustcatcher-Powerdevourer for 299 EUR? - No-Go!

[lamadude]

Originally Posted by c-Row

So far it seems that all movies are available with German dubs only. Being from Belgium, you won't be able to download them anyway except via a gift card I think. If so, you should probably get a UK gift card instead then.

I am from Germany, but I too enjoy watching a movie in its original language every now and then.

I live in Germany for the moment so that's why I asked :-) I would pay for movies in English (even with german subs) but apple doesn't seem to want my money.

[marv08]

Originally Posted by lamadude

I live in Germany for the moment so that's why I asked :-) I would pay for movies in English (even with german subs) but apple doesn't seem to want my money.

There are several movies in the German iTS with both English and German tracks, you have to look for those explicitly saying "Deutsch, Englisch" under "Sprache". For some odd reason, most movies listed as "Englisch" only, are actually German only... Movies do not have any subtitles though.

Originally Posted by isgoed

By the way it seems that the germans are not so impressed by the iTunes store. Just some comments from "a Quantum Trost":
...

I would not pay too much attention to iTS comments. Initial comments were the same - or even worse - when they rolled out TV shows last year, and it became rather successful, especially since private German TV stations are more and more duplicating the commercial break patterns known in the US and fill up to 50% of the TV screen with animated overlays and other junk. If I really like a series, I buy it on iTunes and do not watch it on TV at all.
It is always the same people being very vocal and unwilling to pay for anything... and most initial comments are from people who have not even bought on iTS (e.g. judging the quality by looking at the free preview/trailer, which is not identical to the actual purchase). The truth is, the iTS (buying and renting) is absolutely competitively priced – actually watching an "on demand" movie from my cable provider is exactly the same price, but I can not choose the time it starts (movies start at fixed intervals, and only run for 1-3 weeks), they have no original language track, most do not have 5.1 and there is no HD option; and if I want to get something to eat/drink or receive a phone call, I cannot even stop the movie or view it again for 48 hours. I also checked Amazon pricing in Germany for some "new releases" going for 13.99 EUR in the iTS – the majority was going for 16.99 through 22.00 EUR on DVD and up to 30 EUR on BD – If one is not interested in extras, and wants to watch a movie "now", instead of in three days, then this is absolutely acceptable. Until BD prices come down a lot, I will only buy movies I am likely to watch again and again on BD (and the current selection does not include a lot of those, half a season of CSI Miami for 80 EUR, that's 105 USD? I do not think so...)

The selection is still a little "thin" though...

[CmdrLaForge]

Interesting - in the German Store you have 48 hours to watch a movie. I thought in the US thats only 24 hours ?

Unfortunately many movies are still missing the orginial audio track and come in German only. I prefer watching the movies in english.

[3247]

Originally Posted by Veldek

Fixed that for you, as yours isn't allowed in Germany.

Wrong.

(What is not allowed is ripping the DVD iff it is protected by CSS.)

[marv08]

Originally Posted by 3247

Wrong.

(What is not allowed is ripping the DVD iff it is protected by CSS.)

Wrong. European courts have ruled CSS a non-working protection (and only the removal of working protection mechanisms is illegal in the EU), bypassing it to make a private copy (fully legal, as all media and burners in the EU include a copyright levy in their price) is allowed. Actually Handbrake, which kills CSS nicely if VLC is installed, is hosted on French servers... if it would be illegal, they would have at least received an order to remove it.