Amazon Drops Prices on 4K Content in UK After Apple Offers 4K for HD Prices [Updated]

[MacRumors]

With the release of the Apple TV 4K, Apple has started offering 4K content in its iTunes Store at HD prices, meaning the cost of a 4K movie maxes out at $19.99. Apple has also upgraded previously-purchased HD content to 4K at no additional cost to consumers.

In response, Amazon has started lowering the prices on 4K titles on its Amazon Video service in the UK. As Pocket-lint noticed, While prices could previously reach upwards of £24, 4K titles now range in price from £3.99 to £13.99. Amazon's 4K library isn't as large as Apple's, but with 4K streaming becoming more prevalent, it should continue to grow.

It's not yet clear if the price drops will expand to additional countries, but to remain competitive with Apple, Amazon will need to lower prices across the board. Many 4K movies in the U.S. continue to be priced at $29.99.

Amazon's video content will be available to watch on the Apple TV when Amazon releases its Amazon Prime Video app later this year. There's currently no word on when the app might be released, but a rumor earlier today suggested it could launch this Thursday alongside NFL's Thursday Night Football games.

Amazon is also rumored to be planning to release its own upgraded Fire TV set-top box with support for 4K and HDR in the near future.

Update: It appears the price drop on 4K titles is limited to the UK at the current time, and this article has been updated accordingly.

Article Link: Amazon Drops Prices on 4K Content in UK After Apple Offers 4K for HD Prices [Updated]

 

[StarDal]

Competition at work!

 

[Stiltz99]

Will be interesting to see if they apply the same no charge upgrade for prior purchases and any download restrictions.

 

[2010mini]

Will be interesting to see if they apply the same no charge upgrade for prior purchases and any download restrictions.

This is the real question. I am wondering what kind of deal Apple had to negotiate to offer free 4K upgrades.

 

[gadget123]

Yes Apple now charges £5.49 even for SD in iTunes it use to be cheaper!

I emailed Apple and I’m awaiting a response.

 

[arggg14]

Competition is good!

 

[al256]

I'm not sure if this administration's DOJ will step in to investigate this.

 

[576316]

Are 4K rentals more expensive than HD ones on iTunes?

 

[mikecorp]

interesting, I believe prices should be around 10 $ and it should not matter what you watch.. I do not buy movies. I go to local secondhand shop. They have blurays even UHD for 3$. I buy them watch them own them for a while then return them back to store. I keep only the best ones.

 

[pat500000]

With the release of the Apple TV 4K, Apple has started offering 4K content in its iTunes Store at HD prices, meaning the cost of a 4K movie maxes out at $19.99. Apple has also upgraded previously-purchased HD content to 4K at no additional cost to consumers.

In response, Amazon has started lowering the prices on 4K titles on its Amazon Video service. As Pocket-lint noticed, While prices could previously reach upwards of $30, 4K titles now range in price from $5 to $19.99. Amazon's 4K library isn't as large as Apple's, but with 4K streaming becoming more prevalent, it should continue to grow.

Amazon's video content will be available to watch on the Apple TV when Amazon releases its Amazon Prime Video app later this year. There's currently no word on when the app might be released, but a rumor earlier today suggested it could launch this Thursday alongside NFL's Thursday Night Football games.

Amazon is also rumored to be planning to release its own upgraded Fire TV set-top box with support for 4K and HDR in the near future.

Article Link: Amazon Drops Prices on 4K Content After Apple Offers 4K for HD Prices

still streaming, right?

 

[mmm1345]

Faster than I thought! Now come one Vudu give us Free UHD Upgrades! And make them available on ALL 4K/HDR Enabled devices that have your app!

 

[oneMadRssn]

Here is something you will never hear from an non-Apple user: "Thank you Apple, for lowering prices for us consumers across nearly the entire industry."

 

[CarpalMac]

Competition at work!

I'd of lost money though if I'd had to bet which way round it would be.

 

[Appurushido]

Too bad the 4K content you buy on iTunes, or auto upgrade movies already purchased to 4K is streaming only. Would have loved to see 4K movies on the go, especially on plane trips or situations that prevent you from having an internet connection.

 

[Moonjumper]

Hopefully Ultraviolet will give free 4K upgrades and price matching, especially as the UV code is HD within a UHD Blu-Ray.

 

[havenyoung]

Hopefully Ultraviolet will give free 4K upgrades and price matching, especially as the UV code is HD within a UHD Blu-Ray.

A lot of UHD Blu-Ray discs actually already contain codes that will redeem UHD copies.
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1ZsJkCX4DIv2oeCKQ7zp2ArkR1qKEXCUuCMBbUtHtmh4/htmlview#

 

[CBlakeston]

Too bad the 4K content you buy on iTunes, or auto upgrade movies already purchased to 4K is streaming only. Would have loved to see 4K movies on the go, especially on plane trips or situations that prevent you from having an internet connection.

What portable Apple device with a 4k screen are you planning to load 20GB movie files on? Not trying to be sarcastic. I’m genuinely curious.

Even a MacBook Pro screen is only 2.5k so arguably there’s not a huge difference between 4k downsampled and 1080p upscaled to fill the screen? Especially as it seems Apple are supplying 1080p HDR versions of movies to compatible devices.

 

[b11051973]

This had to be done. I have a huge VUDU library and haven't bought a single UHD title thru VUDU. Only ones I have I got off codes from UHD Blu-rays and such. $30 is just a ridiculous amount to pay for a streaming version of a movie. You can often get the same title for under $30, and it comes with UHD and HD Blu-ray discs.

 

[Moonjumper]

A lot of UHD Blu-Ray discs actually already contain codes that will redeem UHD copies.
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1ZsJkCX4DIv2oeCKQ7zp2ArkR1qKEXCUuCMBbUtHtmh4/htmlview#

Thanks, although they are USA services. It seems we are much more limited in the UK.
[doublepost=1506376816][/doublepost]

What portable Apple device with a 4k screen are you planning to load 20GB movie files on? Not trying to be sarcastic. I’m genuinely curious.

Even a MacBook Pro screen is only 2.5k so arguably there’s not a huge difference between 4k downsampled and 1080p upscaled to fill the screen? Especially as it seems Apple are supplying 1080p HDR versions of movies to compatible devices.

15" MBP is 2880x1800, quite a step above 1920x1080. I have watched some 4K footage on it and it looked nicer than HD.

There won't be many 20GB movie files. 4K H265 file sizes that iTunes are now using are apparently about twice the size of the HD films using the H264 format that iTunes has used the last few years. Seems about right as there are 4x the number of pixels, and H265 (HEVC) was supposed to halve files sizes when announced. A quick look shows most of my HD iTunes movies are in the 4-5GB range, so I expect 8-10GB for 4K.

 

[Makosuke]

Based on ebook precedent, I guess this means it's time for the DOJ to investigate Apple again.

 

[JamesMay82]

Headline should read.. Amazon bullying suppliers again.

 

[gadget123]

Are 4K rentals more expensive than HD ones on iTunes?

When they brought out 4K HD and SD prices which were cheaper have been dropped. It’s now £5.49 for 4K or SD.

You could previously rent a movie for £3.49.

 

[CBlakeston]

Thanks, although they are USA services. It seems we are much more limited in the UK.
[doublepost=1506376816][/doublepost]

15" MBP is 2880x1800, quite a step above 1920x1080. I have watched some 4K footage on it and it looked nicer than HD.

There won't be many 20GB movie files. 4K H265 file sizes that iTunes are now using are apparently about twice the size of the HD films using the H264 format that iTunes has used the last few years. Seems about right as there are 4x the number of pixels, and H265 (HEVC) was supposed to halve files sizes when announced. A quick look shows most of my HD iTunes movies are in the 4-5GB range, so I expect 8-10GB for 4K.

A typical 1080p iTunes movie is a high profile H264 around 5Mbps. An iTunes 4k movie file is 25mbps. That’s 5x larger. Meaning if you were able to download movies they would be 20-25GB for 4k.

 

[Appurushido]

What portable Apple device with a 4k screen are you planning to load 20GB movie files on? Not trying to be sarcastic. I’m genuinely curious.

Even a MacBook Pro screen is only 2.5k so arguably there’s not a huge difference between 4k downsampled and 1080p upscaled to fill the screen? Especially as it seems Apple are supplying 1080p HDR versions of movies to compatible devices.

I never said anything about an Apple device except that I would use iTunes for Windows. Also, no worries, no offense taken by you statement. I would use it on my Windows laptop, Dell XPS 15 with a 4K screen. I have a 512GB SSD on there with more than 300GB of free room. I could fit a few movies on there when Im on an international flight. Even on business class seating, the screens HD quality pales into comparison to an iPad that is 4-5yrs old. HDR would have been nice, but hey, can't complain about the free 4K upgrade, although streaming only.

 

[CBlakeston]

I never said anything about an Apple device except that I would use iTunes for Windows. Also, no worries, no offense taken by you statement. I would use it on my Windows laptop, Dell XPS 15 with a 4K screen. I have a 512GB SSD on there with more than 300GB of free room. I could fit a few movies on there when Im on an international flight. Even on business class seating, the screens HD quality pales into comparison to an iPad that is 4-5yrs old. HDR would have been nice, but hey, can't complain about the free 4K upgrade, although streaming only.

Fair point. I totally forgot iTunes was available for Windows and that you could get win laptops with 4k screens. In that case it sucks. I guess you could download Netflix content offline maybe? I suspect it will be some time if ever before Apple allow 4k downloads.