Apple Announces iTunes Movie Rentals

[gonnabuyamac]

where is this rental thing??? i updated all of my devices and still not seeing anywhere to rent! i want to access the rental service! i want to rent! rent! rent! rent! rent! rent! rent! rent! rent! rent! rent! rent! rent! rent! rent! rent! rent! rent! rent! rent! rent! rent! rent! rent! rent! help me!!

the rental service isn't up for me yet either.

 

[zoozx]

24 hrs to watch is totally Ridiculous!
3 days min would be questionable and 5 days should be standard.
Apple needs to change this.

 

[skiwhitman]

Not everyone wants to watch a dozen movies a month ...I currently have the 2 a month netflix plan and I can't wait to dump it for Apple's service. Why? I've run out of crap I want to see. If you only watch one or two movies a month ...and NONE some months ...netflix is a waste of money.

Don't call it a bad service unless you look at it from all angles...

Hear hear!!!! EXACTLY!

 

[rstansby]

People have mentioned the fact that you have to wait 30 days before movies are available. This is a downside of Apple rentals, when you need a movie early you can still go to blockbuster. Using AppleTV does not prevent you from renting or buying DVDs.

The flip side is that sometimes you hear about an older movie and want to watch it immediately. Apple will now allow you to download it and watch it now. Using Blockbuster or Netflix doesn't prevent you from renting from Apple on occasion.

Life isn't always black and white. Anyone can use a hybrid of Netflix, Blockbuster and Apple rentals.

 

[will99]

24-hour rental?

Twenty-four hour movie rental? No thanks. I'll download an illegal copy and watch it when its convenient for me, and not try and rush and watch it on Apple's timeline. Give me 48-hours and that is manageable and I might pay to do that, but 24-hours isn't feasible with work, kids, life, etc.

 

[skiwhitman]

Yeah, see that now. Thanks.

That really sucks. I can't imagine renting a "new release". If I've waited 30 days after everyone else, I might as well wait a few more weeks and get it 25% cheaper. On the other hand, I can't see myself waiting 30 days after release very often either.

So, it seems the only utility here is in the "library" titles. That's where a whim can take seed and be satisfied. Cost there is $229 to get in the door, and $2.99 each. Of course, if you want 5.1 sound (which, again, I almost always will on most movies) you have to spend $4.99 for the HD version, assuming it exists for the given title.

Sigh. I hate to say Apple screwed up here. As I've said before: them's words that will almost always come back to haunt. But still. I think Apple (and the studios) have pulled meager defeat out of the jaws of stunning victory here.

Again, in dream-world, the model is this:

• Releases same day as DVD. Eventually this might end up being the same day as theatrical release. One release date for "home video" is the only model which makes sense.
• $1.99 one-day rental, $3.99 one-week rental
• Easy and automated "upgrade" options (upgrade expired rental from 1-day to 7-day for $2; upgrade to Unlimited [buy] for difference between rental and purchase price).
• DVD "Extras" available for download (buy-only) at small charge (as a unit for each DVD). Charge $2 standard rate, up to $5 for significantly involved bonus disk packages.
• Allow burning of bought titles to DVD with auto-play or automatically-generated menus (Play, Chapters, Extras if bought)

The above would rock the home video industry, and still allow significant profit margins for Apple and the Studios (unfortunately, not for WalMart or Best Buy). I would change to a download rental system with the above terms in an instant, and drop Blockbuster.

Unfortunately, what they gave us is priced on par with existing services, loses in convenience and utility comparisons. With Blockbuster TotalAccess I'm getting up to 10-15 movies a month for $17 (some months I don't take advantage of this bandwidth, though). With a $20 budget, I'd get 4 HD movies or 6 SD library titles, with the only tangible benefit of not having to pick what I'm going to watch until a few minutes before it starts. That convenience is not worth cutting my movie-watch rate in half (or more than doubling my movie-watching budget)!

To break into this industry they need shock and awe. They gave us ho-hum.

What most people are missing is that the box isn't just for movies. I have had one since they came out and have probably only watched 5 movies on it. I would have bought it just for the photo capabilities and music. Everytime friends or family come over, I have my photos on the 42" HDTV and selected tunes playing in the background and ALWAYS get the "shock-and-awe". Now that I have a wonderful way to watch movies from my couch in high definition, I am even happier with my decision to buy it!

 

[redfirebird08]

the rental service isn't up for me yet either.

Me neither.

 

[irun5k]

Twenty-four hour movie rental? No thanks. I'll download an illegal copy and watch it when its convenient for me, and not try and rush and watch it on Apple's timeline. Give me 48-hours and that is manageable and I might pay to do that, but 24-hours isn't feasible with work, kids, life, etc.

Nice argument. I agree. My wife and I were getting ready to buy a new Honda CRV but they wanted like 22K for it and that was without leather and a V6 engine! Can you believe? So we just decided to steal one off the lot instead. Really, it is Honda's fault we stole the car from them.

Give me leather and that is manageable and I might pay for that, but no leather and no V6 isn't feasible for driving to work, hauling the kids, life, etc.

The model they have presented is basically similar (better actually) than video on demand that we have with Oceanic cable. We pay 4 bucks a couple times a month to watch movies in a 24 hour window because it is a spontaneous thing to do, a cheap evening, and doesn't involve driving to blockbuster twice. Plus it is cheaper, because at least here in Hawaii movies are $5 at Blockbuster. This is just the first cut, peeps! I'm sure it will evolve to fit more people's desires. Look at what is happening with music- higher quality, no DRM, etc.

 

[macUser2007]

Not everyone wants to watch a dozen movies a month ...I currently have the 2 a month netflix plan and I can't wait to dump it for Apple's service. Why? I've run out of crap I want to see....

Huh? You've run out of things to see, so you'll dump Netflix's 90,000 library for Apple's 1,000 library?! How does this make sense, is beyond me.

Also, Netflix rents HiDef formats - both BR and HDDVD. At full 1080p resolution. Included in your monthly fee. Also, with Netflix, you can watch a rapidly growing selection online, at a quality equal to iTunes - and it's also included in your fee.

Of course, while I use Macs for everything else, I finally gave up on Apple for my HTPC. Now I boot into Vista and run Media Portal as my front-end, which allows me watch Netflix streams, as well as BR/HDDVDs on my LG dual format player and dvd/cd burner

Also, you should try some of the older classics available on Netflix, you may find some surprisingly good stuff among them.

 

[leefaus]

First Rental

Do a search in iTunes for "Aristocats". It says "Rent Movie" for 2.99. Unfortunately when I try, it tells me this item is not available in the US. So they are coming!

 

[Glial]

Well that same process can be used to transfer songs directly from an iPod to a computer it isn't paired with. Apple knows it can be done but hasn't prevented it.

Protected AAC files purchased from iTunes?

 

[jettredmont]

Good luck getting a movie from Netflix 1 day after you ordered it, especially if you have to return another movie. Unless you leave your queue empty you will have to wait 3 days for a movie after deciding to add it to your queue.
Also with AppleTV you don't have to deal with scratched disks. If you rent kids movies you know how common this problem is.

I have Blockbuster Total Access, so I can't speak for Netflix, but, generally, return/next scenario goes like this:

Monday: Watch movie (A). Bring watched movie (A) in to BB store, pick up replacement rental (B) (free exchange; store puts (A) into the mail for me).
Tuesday: Email says (A) recieved by store; replacement (C) is in mail. Watch replacement (B) that night.
Wednesday: About 50% chance replacement (C) arrives in mail. Watch movie (C). Bring watched movie (C) in to BB store, pick up replacement rental (D) ...
Thursday: If it wasn't there Wed, it's there today.

Three nights, three movies, if I'm lucky. Even if not, I've got two movies out at a time from the online service, so I certainly could watch one movie every night year round.

Granted, my schedule isn't that free. I do the above in bursts, then go a week or so with no activity, two movies just sitting on my shelf waiting for viewing time. Generally, "Monday" night above, after returning from the actual store, I adjust my queue adding a different movie I saw and wanted to rent at the store to the top; that arrives a day and a half later. I hear BlockBuster and Netflix apply "new release throttles" to folks burning through movies at a rate like above; I certainly haven't seen it here yet though, most likely because of my "fallow" times

So, anyway, to your point: location is likely the #1 factor here, but certainly where I live, BBTA is giving me exactly what you say is impossible: ~1-day turnaround (so long as you make your choice before they send out mail the first day) or less (when you take into account the in-store exchange). Netflix customers would be able to throw in the streaming download service as a counter to the "you have to plan half a week ahead" argument as well.

 

[macUser2007]

....This is just the first cut, peeps! I'm sure it will evolve to fit more people's desires. Look at what is happening with music- higher quality, no DRM, etc.

LOL, you realize that the higher quality, no DRM, etc., is happening not because the music industry wants to be nice to you and Apple, but precisely because they figured out that market forces dictate that they should try to balance their desire for higher profits, against the P2P world, which is their real "competition."

It works like this: Lower the prices to the point where the costs/benefits for most people tilt toward buying legally for $1, rather than dealing with the hassle and wasted time of looking to pilfer it.

iTunes showed them what may be the magic number for music.

For movies, $5 per 720p rental, or $3-$4 per SD rental, for 24hrs, ain't it.

Frankly, with the manufacturing and distribution savings the studio realize from going online, they should be selling titles for that much. DRM free. Then they'll capture a mach broader market, and most likely will make more money than now.

 

[angelwatt]

Something totally screwy with the rentals system. I see the list for "Top Rentals" and I click on a list, and it'll show the movies with a buy option, but no rent option. It's been hours since this was unveiled, what's up?

 

[jettredmont]

What most people are missing is that the box isn't just for movies. I have had one since they came out and have probably only watched 5 movies on it. I would have bought it just for the photo capabilities and music. Everytime friends or family come over, I have my photos on the 42" HDTV and selected tunes playing in the background and ALWAYS get the "shock-and-awe". Now that I have a wonderful way to watch movies from my couch in high definition, I am even happier with my decision to buy it!

That is quite true. The tv, despite all my criticisms of its rental model, is high on my list of geek-lust gadgets for this year. And, maybe that's all Apple really cares about. Maybe "oh, you can rent movies on it" will end up being nothing more than a half-hearted feature checkbox to pull on-the-fence buyers in.

But Apple seems right now to have a lot invested in the success of their system. I don't know.

In any case, as I've said here at some point, I'll probably buy an tv, and it's likely that when it's sitting there in my living room the rental service will end up looking better to me. But, I'm an unrepentant fanboy. Most people out there are not going to buy the box just to buy the box, and all the above reasons to buy it have been there for the most part untouched since this time last year. No one (meaning, not enough people to qualify it as a success) has bought. I don't see an obviously-flawed rental model changing that.

 

[boxandrew]

Aristocats rental page now loads, but I haven't tried renting it...

 

[Ugg]

Having read through a couple of the posts here about AppleTV vs Netflix I would suggest that I will probably take a hybrid approach.

So having said all that I think my solution is a hybrid. Downgrade my Netflix to 2 at a time and use the savings to rent the occasional iTunes movie when I'm out of options and need something to watch. Right now, neither model works perfectly for me, but I think a judicious use of both will be just the ticket!

That is my thought exactly. I never seem to have a Netflix movie on Sunday nights and Blockbuster or the other local video stores never have anything I want to watch.

It's not perfect but until Netflix plays nice with Macs, there's really no other option.

I just wish somebody in the movie industry had the balls to provide their customers with what they want instead of running around with their tail between their legs.

Someday.....

 

[Shorties]

Aristocats rental page now loads, but I haven't tried renting it...

Good catch http://phobos.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewMovie?id=187696408&s=143441

 

[Toe]

The 30-day thing obviously isn't Apple, and it will go away

The 30-days-after DVD delay is clearly something Apple had to negotiate with the studios.

Those studios have negotiated deals with Blockbuster and Netflix. They can't break those existing agreements just to let Apple sell their content (which pretty much is going to sell anyway, as far as they're concerned). So Apple had to give the studios something to appease Blockbuster and Netflix.

But don't worry. All those agreements have time limits in them (if they're negotiated sanely). As the other agreements come up for re-negotiation, the studios are probably going to try to work for Apple. After all, Apple is finally enabling what the studios have always wanted: direct delivery into the home with no physical medium.

In any event, the 30-day delay will fade away as this delivery model matures. After all, today Apple declared war on the DVD with the MacBook Air. Who needs ancient things like disks when we have high-speed internet?

 

[zweigand]

Huh? You've run out of things to see, so you'll dump Netflix's 90,000 library for Apple's 1,000 library?! How does this make sense, is beyond me.

Also, Netflix rents HiDef formats - both BR and HDDVD. At full 1080p resolution. Included in your monthly fee. Also, with Netflix, you can watch a rapidly growing selection online, at a quality equal to iTunes - and it's also included in your fee.

Of course, while I use Macs for everything else, I finally gave up on Apple for my HTPC. Now I boot into Vista and run Media Portal as my front-end, which allows me watch Netflix streams, as well as BR/HDDVDs on my LG dual format player and dvd/cd burner

Also, you should try some of the older classics available on Netflix, you may find some surprisingly good stuff among them.

By "run out of things I want to watch" I mean ...out of all the movies I have come across on Netflix ...none of them interest me. I'm assuming Apple will have most of the content from now on ...the shows I am interested in are the ones that have not come out yet. NEW stuff ...not old stuff.

Also, I do not have anything that supports HD other than my iMac. No HD TV ...no HD Player ...NO Cable period

 

[brian163]

Good catch http://phobos.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewMovie?id=187696408&s=143441

Um, shouldn't there still be a "buy" button also? This is very confusing IMHO...

 

[mtrctyjoe]

Rent what from who where?????

I see nothing about renting anything anywhere? What Gives???
HAS ANY ONE RENTED ANYTHING YET????

 

[rockosmodurnlif]

Nice argument. I agree. My wife and I were getting ready to buy a new Honda CRV but they wanted like 22K for it and that was without leather and a V6 engine! Can you believe? So we just decided to steal one off the lot instead. Really, it is Honda's fault we stole the car from them.

Give me leather and that is manageable and I might pay for that, but no leather and no V6 isn't feasible for driving to work, hauling the kids, life, etc.

The model they have presented is basically similar (better actually) than video on demand that we have with Oceanic cable. We pay 4 bucks a couple times a month to watch movies in a 24 hour window because it is a spontaneous thing to do, a cheap evening, and doesn't involve driving to blockbuster twice. Plus it is cheaper, because at least here in Hawaii movies are $5 at Blockbuster. This is just the first cut, peeps! I'm sure it will evolve to fit more people's desires. Look at what is happening with music- higher quality, no DRM, etc.

If they're trying to lure people away from "free," which I think it is reasonable to think that they are, then they're going to have to evolve indeed.

 

[MarkW19]

I wonder if there'll be the option to burn the rentals to DVD, for people without Apple TV etc.?

 

[dejo]

where is this rental thing??? i updated all of my devices and still not seeing anywhere to rent! i want to access the rental service! i want to rent! rent! rent! rent! rent! rent! rent! rent! rent! rent! rent! rent! rent! rent! rent! rent! rent! rent! rent! rent! rent! rent! rent! rent! rent! help me!!

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