Films on the UK iTunes Store

[BoyBach]

I think you are missing the point of this person's post, as well as the others on here complaining about the price. We are aware that we have a choice.

There's always at least one isn't there...

How am I missing the point?

I thought one of the benefits of living in an open society was that we have a choice where and how we spend our money - if I don't like your business, product, price or whatever, then I can go elsewhere.

 

[bobbleheadbob]

Why does the UK get more time to watch a movie than the US does? That hardly seems fair. I would much prefer to have 48 hours to finish watching a movie. Then I could do it over 2 days' commute.

 

[sananda]

Why does the UK get more time to watch a movie than the US does? That hardly seems fair. I would much prefer to have 48 hours to finish watching a movie. Then I could do it over 2 days' commute.

you can pay to rent it again and you won't have spent much more money in total than we pay for one

 

[min_t]

On play etc, you can literally buy the films for £3 (some of them), and you get the hard copy.

so really you need to think about it, because to be honest its not really a fair price.

Is your dvd a digital copy? Can you watch your dvd as soon as you hit the buy button? Can you load it onto your iphone/touch without ripping? You are paying a convenience cost, really.

 

[yogi477]

How do you know that the pricing is dictated to Apple? How come the pricing isn't dictated to the likes of Amazon/HMV/ADSA/Play etc?

I'm sure that with the purchasing power of ASDA (Walmart), Amazon etc. combined they have far more say in pricing than Apple do. I think these prices are high, as I get 2 DVD rentals per month for £3.49 from Amazon and all I have to do is post them. They offer Blu-ray too.

I think it is useful to compare this service to Virgin etc. Why do movies on there cost so much to rent when they are released after DVDs? Sky Box Office is another example, they have a lot of pull but even they struggle to be competitive vs. Lovefilm etc. Again there are probably a number of reasons but when it comes to purchasing power if you are dealing in a physical commodity (DVD) and you have targets to meet, there is going to be a lot more flexibility than a service (download rentals).

 

[Cherimoya]

I've used the Apple TV in the UK since the Take Two update via the US Store and I would say:

a) The 48 hour over the 24 hour period is a big deal - it will make it way more attractive

b) It's great for impulse rents - if I have a couple of hours spare to watch a movie, I don't want to spend half an hour of that driving to the store to rent - plus most of them seem to be closing down around here

c) The HD quality is great

d) As for buying it and ripping it - nah can't be bothered to faff around doing that to save a couple of quid and I am a geek.

Try it - I think you'll be hooked

 

[phalewhale]

How am I missing the point?

I thought one of the benefits of living in an open society was that we have a choice where and how we spend our money - if I don't like your business, product, price or whatever, then I can go elsewhere.

It's a good job you provided a description of your "open society" so that I knew what you were talking about. I think what you are referring to is a "Free Market Economy". Whilst we in the UK live in an "open society" (some might disagree) it really has nothing to do with what we're talking about.

You missed the point because the poster actually had already highlighted the fact that he/she had a choice and could choose to buy the same product cheaper from somewhere else. The poster (and I) was complaining about the fact that the iTunes price was too expensive. The words "Shameless pricing" give that little one away...

Anyway, I would also like to say that most folk surfing these boards probably like to see Apple doing well in all areas of their business. For Apple to charge over and above the normal price for something, it means that they are likely going to be turning a lot of potential customers away.

 

[Silver-Fox]

Why does the UK get more time to watch a movie than the US does? That hardly seems fair. I would much prefer to have 48 hours to finish watching a movie. Then I could do it over 2 days' commute.

we pay more

 

[surferfromuk]

Well I don't know about anyone else but I have to drive 20 mins to my local blockbuster and DVD via the post incurs the ballache of not getting what I want when I want it...

This *may* sway me to finally indulge in one of these boxes...£200 entry point is still a big turn off for what is essentially Front Row on my telly......

My only concern is will my 8MB broadband be able to stream the content quick enough or reliably enough ?

 

[phalewhale]

I'm sure that with the purchasing power of ASDA (Walmart), Amazon etc. combined they have far more say in pricing than Apple do. I think these prices are high, as I get 2 DVD rentals per month for £3.49 from Amazon and all I have to do is post them. They offer Blu-ray too.

I think it is useful to compare this service to Virgin etc. Why do movies on there cost so much to rent when they are released after DVDs? Sky Box Office is another example, they have a lot of pull but even they struggle to be competitive vs. Lovefilm etc. Again there are probably a number of reasons but when it comes to purchasing power if you are dealing in a physical commodity (DVD) and you have targets to meet, there is going to be a lot more flexibility than a service (download rentals).

I see what you're saying but it leads me to wonder how Lovefilm have more purchasing power than Apple especially when they also offer downloads? Are the downloads priced the same as the DVD rentals from Lovefilm? (Sorry - I've not really had much to do with them)

 

[BoyBach]

II think what you are referring to is a "Free Market Economy".

That's the term I was fumbling around for.

I still don't agree with your argument though!

I see what you're saying but it leads me to wonder how Lovefilm have more purchasing power than Apple especially when they also offer downloads? Are the downloads priced the same as the DVD rentals from Lovefilm?

I've never used Lovefilm - and wouldn't be able to since it requires Windows XP - but they're charging £9.99 to own The Matrix.

Their rentals range from £1.99 to £2.99, you have "usually 7 days" to watch it and "usually 24-48 hours" once you begin playback. You also have to download two versions if you want to have a portable version. (http://www.lovefilm.com/downloads/dlm/faq/)

 

[yogi477]

I see what you're saying but it leads me to wonder how Lovefilm have more purchasing power than Apple especially when they also offer downloads? Are the downloads priced the same as the DVD rentals from Lovefilm? (Sorry - I've not really had much to do with them)

I'm not sure I really phrased it that well but I meant that 'buyer power' is much greater in the DVD market than in the download market. Lovefilm charge from £1.99 for rentals and from £5.99 to own so not that much less than Apple. I think the ones at that price are pretty crappy too.

An example is Batman Begins is £9.99 to buy is you download it on Lovefilm, £6.99 with Apple. I think that although Apple probably have more pull in the download market than Lovefilm, comparing the DVD market and the download market just doesn't work. Obviously there is a convenience factor which you expect to pay for but I think the main factor is the content providers, they want their margin to go up not down so selling content cheaper online just isn't attractive.

It's a bit of a shame as I think they are missing a trick a bit, they could make this compete with places such as Lovefilm by offering movies at £2 but fundamentally I think the content providers have seen how Apple became so powerful so quickly in music and don't want that to happen again without their margin increasing markedly on physical media sales.

 

[phalewhale]

That's the term I was fumbling around for.

I still don't agree with your argument though!

May I ask why?

 

[Mr Ikasu]

I would be on this straight away if it wasn't for the fact that the UK Apple TV has not had the price drop that the US one did after the movie rental was launched over there.

Taking the US price of $229 and converting to GBP we get £117 (xe.com)

Add on VAT and the price comes out at £137.50.

Even if they called it £149 that would seem fair and I'd be picking one up now. Funny how just 25% off makes such a psychological different to me but it does.

 

[mac2thefuture]

Thanks - Thanks studio peeps, may the content grow

 

[toodeep]

Why are you complaining about having a choice?

Simply buy it on DVD from HMV.

I did.

 

[Cherimoya]

Well I don't know about anyone else but I have to drive 20 mins to my local blockbuster and DVD via the post incurs the ballache of not getting what I want when I want it...

This *may* sway me to finally indulge in one of these boxes...£200 entry point is still a big turn off for what is essentially Front Row on my telly......

My only concern is will my 8MB broadband be able to stream the content quick enough or reliably enough ?

If you actually get 8M or anywhere near it will be fine - I get 6M and SD movies are ready pretty much straight away, HDs take about 10 minutes to be ready to watch

but.... at lot of people paying for "up to 8M" don't get it. Do a speedtest first at the time you'll be likely to watch because contention can be an issue too.

 

[.mark.]

I would be on this straight away if it wasn't for the fact that the UK Apple TV has not had the price drop that the US one did after the movie rental was launched over there.

Taking the US price of $229 and converting to GBP we get £117 (xe.com)

Add on VAT and the price comes out at £137.50.

Even if they called it £149 that would seem fair and I'd be picking one up now. Funny how just 25% off makes such a psychological different to me but it does.

i'm hoping that the reason they haven't dropped the price yet is because of the update that is about to happen - when this does - the price will be lowered as well.

that's just me and my wishful thinking though!!

 

[MacFly123]

Yes, they get 24 hours.

Ok did I miss something here??? So did they increase the viewing time for the USA to 48 hours too or are we getting the shaft now while the UK and Canada get 48 hours and we are stuck with 24???? What the HE!! Apple & studios???

There better be an announcement that the USA gets 48 hours too in the next couple days if this is true!!!!!

 

[sananda]

Ok did I miss something here??? So did they increase the viewing time for the USA to 48 hours too or are we getting the shaft now while the UK and Canada get 48 hours and we are stuck with 24???? What the HE!! Apple & studios???

There better be an announcement that the USA gets 48 hours too in the next couple days if this is true!!!!!

things should even out soon: cheaper apple tvs in the uk and 48 hour periods in the us.

 

[Kardashian]

Is it me or do most good films, or most films for that matter, seem
to be rent only?

And, for all those beautiful Canadians who complained of no video and no iPhone.. They've certainly beaten us with the film/movie count! Over double the catalogue!

 

[yogi477]

Is it me or do most good films, or most films for that matter, seem
to be rent only?

And, for all those beautiful Canadians who complained of no video and no iPhone.. They've certainly beaten us with the film/movie count! Over double the catalogue!

The catalogue is pretty weak for now but in the smallprint somewhere it says that the movie thy are using on apple.com/uk will be available June 6th. Maybe they are loading them on gradually over the next few days as opposed to the next few weeks.

Here's hoping there is a price drop in line with the one the US got.

 

[cyclotron451]

no menu item for rental or movie search yet in UK AppleTV

i'm hoping that the reason they haven't dropped the price yet is because of the update that is about to happen - when this does - the price will be lowered as well.
that's just me and my wishful thinking though!!

Hi, when the US price drop happened, I immediately emailed the big steve and complained as to how the US was getting a great deal , but how did he expect to grow the market in the UK with the old, high TV prices?

I received no answer, except, the next two days Apple.com/ukstore refurb had some Apple TV's at UK£ 135, one of which I bought. It was - as is typical with my experience with refurb - 100% indistinguishable from a new Apple TV.

I've already decided that instead of a 40GB model I could do with a 500GB TV! Today I couldn't find anyway of renting from the AppleTV, no menu available, and the software insists its up-to-date. After e-signing a new iTunes UK terms and conditions on the home eMac, I've started a 1.38GB d/l of "Enchanted", seems to be taking about 62 minutes before I can synch it over to the TV.

I'm not sure that there'll be a price drop , but check refurbstore - (under the iPod section!!!)

 

[bilbo--baggins]

we pay more

I'd rather pay half as much and only have 24 hours to watch it (and like someone else said, pay again if you need if for another 24hrs!!!!).

 

[MacFly123]

things should even out soon: cheaper apple tvs in the uk and 48 hour periods in the us.

What I want now is a bigger hard drive in the Apple TV. I am ripping all my DVDs for my Apple TV and only about half are going to fit on it synced If they aren't synced you have to have your computer on with iTunes running to stream them Come on Apple put a 320GB in there! (or whatever the biggest 2.5" drive is now)