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Apple in Online Film-Rental Deal with Fox Studio?

If Fox is on board, it would be surprising if Disney is not. That would be a fairly large library, especially if it includes the smaller studios that are already selling movies through iTunes.
 
$2.99 for 30 days is good, but I'd love to see a one-day rental for $1.49. I already get one day DVD rentals for $1.49 from the DVDPlay kiosk at my Safeway (frequently even cheaper with promos). I only grab movies the day I want to watch them (especially if I'm downloading them), so I only need a one-day rental.
 
Silly Apple. [Almost] no one wants files that self-destruct after a set number of days. Customers understand why renting physical media, limited in quantity, makes sense. Trying to make bits that degrade doesn't make sense.
 
I hope they open it up to more than just Fox movies. Apple could turn it into something like Netflix's online instant movies, which I would use then.

And YES let's hope for a new :apple:TV! I want Blu-ray and TiVo like recording
 
I understand why an :apple:TV will never have TiVo like ability -- it's an iTunes 'server' -- I would hope for a Blu Ray drive. However, any disc reader will probably not be seen on :apple:TV for the same reason.

Regardless of Apple's motive, I would bet that we'd hear something about BluRay being added to an Apple product. The BluRay camp would make sure a leak took place as another blow to HD-DVD.

In the end of the format war, they'll both be obsolete once internet media sales really takes off.
 
Lancetx said:
Well, most NTSC DVDs are just 720x480 anyway, so it's not like there is really all that much difference.
Click to expand...

Only 38,400 lost pixels...not to much. I just want it to be on par with the standard.

Nermal said:
Meanwhile, the rest of us will happily pay a few dollars for a 640x480 movie.
Click to expand...

For a rental, yeah not really a big deal as you have no intention of keeping it. But it will hardly be as good as the DVD. And what about 5.1 or greater sound. Will you happily pay for stereo? We are not asking for anything that can not be delivered.

angelneo said:
Not that I don't want full-res DVD download, but the issue is how big the file is and how long does it takes on an average home internet connection to download?
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Average home internet for a person who is going to own an Apple product??? If Xbox can give us full res, so can apple. And bandwidth is hardly the factor. It is about the ability for it to play across the apple line of products seamlessly.

--All you guys have valid points. I just hope apple delivers and blows us away. I really want the Apple TV to follow in the footsteps of the iPod, but you can not deliver less than what the consumer can already get. Stupid rant thought, in the end we will buy what we are told by steve.
 
bjett92 said:
I hope they open it up to more than just Fox movies. Apple could turn it into something like Netflix's online instant movies, which I would use then.

And YES let's hope for a new :apple:TV! I want Blu-ray and TiVo like recording
Click to expand...

It is a hard call for me. I personally favor HD-DVD as I am very anti-sony. Regardless, i would not mind either in the end as long as there is just one. It is still to early to tell.

I imagine apple will include a DVD player at the best, but even that is pushing it as it does not rely upon itunes for content at that point.
 
Why does ANYONE need a 30 day rental??? And if it is $4.99 a movie? Bloody forget it. The competition here is Netflix. I get my top-queued Netflix movies in ONE DAY. No, it's not instant, but 1 day is barely a wait at all -- I mean, I have work and a life :) Netflix surely has a greater catalogue too.

If you can get 3 at a time Netflix for $17 or whatever it is these days... and you can probably get 20-30 DVDs a month if you're not throttled and you do a quick turnaround. So we are talking DVD-quality rentals for 60 or 70 cents.

Allow Apple a premium for bandwidth costs, immediate vs. 1 day wait, and no queue waiting at all (not that there is usually a wait on Netflix), but demerit for the likely less than DVD-quality.... and I'd go with a 24-48 hour rental for $1.99-$2.49 or so. $2.99 is pushing it, and $4.99 is absurd!
 
CaptainHaddock said:
Silly Apple. [Almost] no one wants files that self-destruct after a set number of days. Customers understand why renting physical media, limited in quantity, makes sense. Trying to make bits that degrade doesn't make sense.
Click to expand...

Yes it does. If the bits degrade, the studios will agree to let consumers have them for a cheaper price. Since most people only want to watch a movie once, paying a cheaper price is preferable.

I have never bought a movie on iTunes, because the price is too high, and I'm only going to watch the thing one time.
 
Finally Apple, finally! I've never purchased a movie off iTunes because once you see it the first time, what's there to change? I like the whole idea with the :apple:TV being updated with this news, but the idea of having a Blu-Ray player inside:eek: Great!

Finally my 16GB iPod touch can be filled up with something!

With Apple agreeing to the Blu-Ray Market, imagine the Format War now?!:D
 
I'd be very interested to see :apple: break out with high-def content. I don't expect it to come with the initial release of online rentals through itunes. But hopefully not to far down the road.
 
MacRumors said:
Meanwhile, a digitally protected version of the film is also expected be included with DVD releases, allowing users to copy the movie easily to their iPods and iPhones, without resorting to "ripping" or otherwise converting the DVD into another format. This digital version would employ the same FairPlay copy-protection system used by Apple on their iTunes store purchases, though the details of the restrictions are unknown at this time. This move would help cement Apple's iPod and iPhone as the standard devices for mobile video content.
Click to expand...
Does this mean the Fairplay-protected copy is physically included on the DVD with the original purchase, or that iTunes would be able to rip and protect any DVD?

The latter would be better for the consumer, easier for the studios, and equally secure.
 
EricNau said:
Does this mean the Fairplay-protected copy is physically included on the DVD with the original purchase, or that iTunes would be able to rip and protect any DVD?

The latter would be better for the consumer consumer and easier for the studios, and equally secure.
Click to expand...

Based on the original article, it sounds like the encoded file will be included on the DVD, so you just copy it to your iPod.

arn
 
arn said:
Based on the original article, it sounds like the encoded file will be included on the DVD, so you just copy it to your iPod.

arn
Click to expand...
I suppose it's better than nothing; although, I don't believe it would solve the ripping problem because users will still need to rip older disks and disks from studios who aren't participating.
 
Freis968 said:
$4.99 is not a good price. I can rent a movie Pay Per View for $3.99 and rent a movie for $3.99 at BlockBuster.

$2.99 is a much better price.
Click to expand...

Yeah, I pay $4.99 for 2 movies a month from Netflix and the downloaded version is optional on some movies. It should be $2.99 or if they want to compete with Blockbuster and Netflix then they should mirror their pricing schemes.
 
I don't buy the "Fox only" story. Disney has always been Apple's launch partner on new additions to the iTunes Store (TV Shows, Movies, Exclusive Soundtracks, etc). It looks like it will be only Disney/Fox at first.

I wouldn't be surprised if Warner isn't far behind, as they already include a protected WMV version on some of their discs.

What gets interesting is if Disney and Fox offer a rentable HD-quality version for Apple TV.
 
any chance of them making a deal with netflix?

For example, netflix has already paved the way "revolutionizing" the dvd-rental industry. And this is about the time that they promised their "Watch Instantly" for Mac users. (Just putting it out there that netflix loves macs, their website and all of their employees primarily use them).

Netflix + Apple = Pure bliss

Fox could just be adding their titles (or more if i'm mistaken).
 
Oo! I like the idea of including the encoded file/s on the DVD! I wonder if it'd include all the extras and stuff though? Hmm.

Not so bothered about the rental stuff, I'd never use it and it'll likely be ages before it makes it to the UK anyway.
 
I hope if they do this they will allow you to pay the difference to be able to keep the movie if you like it and want to buy it. that is the only way I would use a online rental service.
 
Thataboy said:
If you can get 3 at a time Netflix for $17 or whatever it is these days... and you can probably get 20-30 DVDs a month if you're not throttled and you do a quick turnaround. So we are talking DVD-quality rentals for 60 or 70 cents.
Click to expand...
Well, they do start throttling after a while, so you cannot get 30 DVDs a month. Best you can do is maybe 15 DVDs a month on average. If you take out the missed viewing opportunities due to vacations etc, I am guessing even a hard core customer gets more like 10 (maybe 12) DVDs a month on average. If you include tax of about $2, we are talking about $1.50 to $2.00 a movie. For the speed of delivery and lack of waitlists, I can see myself paying $3 a movie. $5 is too pricey though.
 
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