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Apple Announces iTunes Movie Rentals

motulist said:
It's not 24 hours to watch the movie from when you rent it, it's 30 days. It's just that once you start watching the movie, then the 24 hour clock starts ticking. That seem like a completely reasonable system to me.
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thats because it is how long do you think it'll take to watch a 2 hour movie......
I do agree that compared to netflix its a bit expensive but the are kind of different services you could look at it this way if a movie is already available you could look it up and start watching instantly on your tv and in HD if you wish and not have to wait for a mailed in copy of a DVD people are comparing this to netflix when the should be looking at it as a PPV service like those from cable companies...... not to say its perfect....but nothing is not even netflix
 
Huracan said:
I think this time Apple is making a mistake. Their video strategy is flawed in my opinion....

Conclusion: Thumbs down. Apple, get your act together. What customers need is more movies and a subscription service. This expensive and restrictive rental scheme is not going to fly.
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NEWSFLASH: It's the STUDIO'S video strategy, NOT Apple's...
 
I HATE the fact that we in Europe have to wait like morons to get the stuff -- Torrents, keep on coming until the morons sort out how to release a flick on 2008!
 
ariel said:
I agree that the price is too high, but you're venting against Apple - it isn't Apple, it is the movie studios demanding the high prices... be mad at them!
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You're right. When I set out to write about it I was planning to blame it on the studios. However, I got carried away and blamed it on Apple. Darn it, whether it is Apple or the studios this is still not going to fly :( I still think Netflix has a better video strategy than Apple at this time. Pity because Netflix is still waiting to deliver on a set top box, and Apple already has one. It would be great to have a Netflix online offer through the AppleTV ;)
 
iTV required for rentals

It would appear that iTunes on the computer is for downloads of purchased movies.

It would also appear that iTV is required for movie rentals - not able to be purchased on the mac, although I suppose you could stream it to it.

Again, Im updating iTunes now to see if there is a change in the store to show rentals - and apples website, without watching the clip (slow connection) seems to imply watching your t.v. and itv with the rentals with no real mention of itv and the mac.

As well as the fact that they pointed it out that you do not need the mac for the rentals, just itv. In their mind it seems they messed up by connecting it to the computer.

Now this may be incorrect, you may be able to rent from the computer - but regardless, waiting a month to watch a new release that you can pop down and get from blockbuster and watch as many times in a few days as you want...is better than holding off a full month to watch a movie that you have been waiting for.

Whoo hoo, I get to wait up to 30 days to watch it...but once I do, its basically a one time deal, as I doubt I would watch the same movie twice in a one day period.

Now had they made the new airport/harddrive(time capsule) itv - this would be cool indeed. Yet still to many devices apple. Need to center it, lower the rental prices and at least get them out when dvd is released.

It would seem the movie studios want to make what money they still can from dvds and then plus. Eventually they will charge you by how many minutes of the movie you watch - and then they will put an ad in every 5 seconds for something...and then you will have to pay to watch the movie without ads only...etc. ;)

More corporate greed. Not that apple has to much of a choice working with studios, but what do I know - it seems people say that Netflix offers more flexibility and cheaper prices.

The whole bit about charging a software update for the ipod touch...I felt it coming when right before Steve said that the software update for iphone would be free...well of course, its part of the Leapord operating system...but that doesnt seem to be the case - come on apple.
Oh, that is the way of the future with the new SDKS I suppose...

While we are at it, why not have a real tracking device put in there. GPS.
Dont need any service for that (wi-fi, I can use it anywhere.)
I know, they have partners (Google) that help them make more money.

Its not about cooperation, its about squeezing and making money and offering some almost cool tools that fall a bit short.

This is typical, for now - ;)

Peace

dAlen

Well
 
jettredmont said:
Wouldn't that make everything, by definition, not a "New Release"?

Where did you see this bit?
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Over 1000 movies - available 30 days after the DVD release of the film.

It was in the Keynote and at the top of this thread... what a bummer.
 
zweigand said:
looks like movie rentals are going live by the end of Feb ...not right now.
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The Apple Press Release says "Rentals launches today and will offer over 1,000 titles by the end of February" so there should be some rentals available today but not all 1,000 of them.
 
PPV on cable company's better

For this price, I'll keep my Netflix subscription and also stick with my cable company PPV - which has a Huge selection of the most recent movies both HD and regular format for the same price - just a 5 second delay to get it started and I get 5.1 and HD directly.
and if i need it on the go, I'd convert the dvd to divx and copy it to my ipod and go.

I understand that they are not trying to reinvent the wheel here, just make a simple system that works. But an average of $4 a movie just doesn't work for me (just reminds me of the VHS rental at blockbuster a long time ago...)
 
Fezzy said:
The Apple Press Release says "Rentals launches today and will offer over 1,000 titles by the end of February" so there should be some rentals available today but not all 1,000 of them.
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Ahh ...good! Hope to rent one tonight :D
 
dAlen said:
It would appear that iTunes on the computer is for downloads of purchased movies.

It would also appear that iTV is required for movie rentals - not able to be purchased on the mac, although I suppose you could stream it to it.

Again, Im updating iTunes now to see if there is a change in the store to show rentals - and apples website, without watching the clip (slow connection) seems to imply watching your t.v. and itv with the rentals with no real mention of itv and the mac.
Click to expand...

I don't think you're correct in saying that rentals only will work through iTV. Otherwise, how would you put them on your iPod/iPhone if you couldn't download them to your computer? The 1.1.3 iPhone update said it included compatibility with iTunes movie rentals, so we know it's supposed to work on the iPhone. I think they're just a bit slow getting the rental store set up on iTunes.
 
I'm assuming there will be a separate button for movie rentals? I just updated iTunes and I don't see anything different.
 
$2.99 as the cheaper option is almost there, but not low enough to really be tempting. Its the kind of thing I might use if I had an :apple:TV sitting around gathering dust, but wouldn't drive me to buy a box for $229.

Selection looks to be a pleasant surprise from what I'd expected. We'll know more once we're able to go in and poke around.

Quality is still, as expected, sub-DVD (640x480), and it seems 5.1 sound only comes if you pay more for the HD version (which requires the :apple:TV).

Will the computer need to phone home when it starts a rental, or will we be able to watch a movie on a plane?

24-hour window still chafes. I often watch movies while working out, but then watching a single movie takes three days generally (1 hour every other day). This works just fine with every other rental model, just not Apple's (or a PPV/VOD model, although in that case generally I can store it on my DVR for several days).

I can't see a fit for this in my life yet, and I tend to rent movies fairly often. As an unrepentant Apple fanboy, I'm wanting to buy an :apple:TV to put in our living room sometime this year, and at that point the equation will likely change (see above), at least for hard-to-find, impulse back-catalogue movies. But until the hardware is paid for and looking for a use ...
 
Stampyhead said:
I don't think you're correct in saying that rentals only will work through iTV. Otherwise, how would you put them on your iPod/iPhone if you couldn't download them to your computer? The 1.1.3 iPhone update said it included compatibility with iTunes movie rentals, so we know it's supposed to work on the iPhone. I think they're just a bit slow getting the rental store set up on iTunes.
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Yes, I think it is just the High Def versions that are only available on Apple TV. Possibly because the High Def downloads wouldn't be compatible with iPods/iPhone.
 
FSUSem1noles said:
Are rentals even availble via computer, I updated to 7.6 and there isn't even a mention of rentals..

I can only purchase movies...
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Yes, according to Apple's press release "Users can rent movies for as low as $2.99 and watch them on their Macs or PCs"
 
Stampyhead said:
I'll be looking forward to watching you and all the other self-proclaimed know-it-all's eat those words when this thing takes off. Remember what they said about the iPod when it first came out...
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Yeah, this video thing has been taking off for a year now....

As Carville would say: "It's the PRICE, stupid!"

At $4, it would take 4 movies a month to pay for your 3-at-home Netflix or Blockbuster subscription. At Netflix, I get them delivered the next day. I get full DVD quality for SD, or full HD-DVD/BR quality for titles available in these formats. I get them the day after release. I also get 17 hours of streaming content, all for the same price.

People are stupid, but not THAT stupid....
 
No Movie Rentals Available

I upgraded iTunes & Quicktime. Nothing in iTunes about Movie Rentals. I do live in the US.
 
Stampyhead said:
I don't think you're correct in saying that rentals only will work through iTV. Otherwise, how would you put them on your iPod/iPhone if you couldn't download them to your computer? The 1.1.3 iPhone update said it included compatibility with iTunes movie rentals, so we know it's supposed to work on the iPhone. I think they're just a bit slow getting the rental store set up on iTunes.
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I just checked out the movie rental page on Apple's site where they say how much rentals are and what studios are signed up. If you read it carefully, I think it's obvious that you won't need :apple:TV. They talk about watching movies on your computer...
 
Fezzy said:
Yes, I think it is just the High Def versions that are only available on Apple TV. Possibly because the High Def downloads wouldn't be compatible with iPods/iPhone.
Click to expand...

Anyone have the new front row installed? Maybe the rentals only show up inside front row??
 
Fezzy said:
Yes, I think it is just the High Def versions that are only available on Apple TV. Possibly because the High Def downloads wouldn't be compatible with iPods/iPhone.
Click to expand...

But they would be compatible with a Mac running FrontRow attached to an HDTV. Surely Apple's not going to leave that segment out in the cold without HD rentals?
 
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