Apple iTunes Movie Service Survey

[maveness]

What to call it...

Well, it is the next logical step. My only question is if it's going to be all integrated with the Music store. If so, what will it be called? iTunes Music Store? Doesn't really make a lot of sense.

How about "iTunes MEDIA Store?"

[EDIT: This was obvious enough that somebody else already came up with it.]

 

[Superdrive]

I have a tough time finding one movie worth $10. I don't think I could justify $120 a year to watch subpar movies. But that's just me, I haven't rented a movie in a long, long time.

 

[DOUGHNUT]

if it is indeed monthly subscription model, release a real widescreen video iPod, and allow users to download movies for $9.99 a month....I smell a potential killer product that will revolutionize movie viewing like the iPod revolutionized music.

 

[daysleeper]

Sounds pretty good.

I wonder how Netflix has strategized about this one. How long would it take to download a movie?

If it could be done in the time it takes to make dinner, that would be ideal. "Die Hard will be ready by the time we finish the quiche, dear."

 

[age234]

I'd do it for $10, even with movies at the current size and not being able to burn them.

Now, if we get the Gutless Mini Airport Set-top Video Streamer and a full-face iPod, it would be awesome.

 

[nagromme]

Netflix has 55,000 titles. Independent movies, foreign films, TV shows, documentaries... it would take a while for Apple to match that. But they'd have to in order to convince me to switch from Netflix.

But if they managed that, I'd love the convenience of downloading my rentals--especially if they would play even while still downloading.

 

[dashiel]

i can back up my dvds through fair use doctrines, so i would love to be able to but stuff i download on a dvd (not as data)

no you can't... i mean you can, but you're breaking the law by doing it. the backup copy isn't illegal, but the copy software breaks macrovision encryption which is a violation of the DMCA and punishable by time in prison and fines.

there is no way in hell that apple will allow users to burn playable copies of any downloaded video content to disc.

 

[derajfast]

what about streaming it to your tv/comp w/ front row? wouldnt take as much bandwidth? could be watched a few times. or you could buy it for like 8 dollars. not everyone will buy it, limiting the bandwidth needed


i say the ipod video has wireless access to DL/purchase content from itunes. (just simple wifi)....OR airport express for video....however id say the video ipod is incorporated before the airport express with video because the ipod has a MUCH better name in non mac households than the airport, and its a name they trust and are familiar with. so i see the video ipod being more then just an ipod for video. theres more to it. touch screen remote for itunes media store.

who knows

 

[Doctor Q]

Last year we were debating the merits of iTunes ownership for music, in comparison with Rhapsody-style subscription services, where you can sample all you like but are left with nothing when you stop paying for a subscription. See this thread, for example.

Now the same question applies to movies. Will most consumers prefer to pay for permanent movie ownership (subject to DRM, akin to iTunes) or to have watching-rights-only during a subscription period?

The results of the survey provided one answer, but what do WE think?

 

[Phat_Pat]

purchasing movies should come with the option of burning onto dvd via iDVD or iTunes and still have the retail dvd look


sometimes the menus are just as cool as the movie (zoolander anyone?)

just my personal opinion

 

[narco]

How about "iTunes MEDIA Store?"

[EDIT: This was obvious enough that somebody else already came up with it.]

How is it obvious? The word "iTunes" still references "Tunes." I'm not talking about the "music store" part.

Fishes,
narco.

 

[mackeeper]

What about Apple iMedia Store

 

[sam10685]

lets hope the announcement of this comes with some other massive improvements to the apple product line...

 

[Kernow]

I'm not a fan of subscriptions for music, but I would be much more willing to go down this route for movies. Like others have said, I tend to only watch most films once (as opposed to music which I listen to again and again), so buying them outright wouldn't really be necessary.

Having said that, there are some movies which I do watch again and again, so I hope that if Apple do implement this, there will be an option to buy individual movies.

Also, as everyone else has mentioned, the quality has to be good.

 

[winmacguy]

It's all great BUT there is still no music store in NZ to warrant buying or downloading the movies. Apple NZ is currently running their iTunes ad promoting music exclusively from the music store with a disclaimer saying 'iTunes music store not available in New Zealand'
Duh!😡

 

[(L)]

Hear, hear!

No subscriptions!

Tiered movie prices!

Agreed. Why turn away everybody but the people that expect to download long movies every month? Plus, not every movie will be of the same value, so tiered pricing is in order.

 

[ScottB]

If it's pay-per-watch I wouldn't watch any. I would rather own the video or buy a physical DVD at full quality. I just don't think this will take off like the music store. I hope it has local streaming built in for full lenght videos so I can watch peoples the same way as I listen to their music 😛

 

[ScottB]

If they do go ahead with this I would want them to split the iTunes application. I would rather not have to play videos in iTunes.

 

[eva01]

i hope so much that it isn't a monthly subscription and they have anime i would be super pissed because i wouldn't buy anything

 

[BoyBach]

"Watch as many movies as you want, as often as you want -- all commercial free with no charge per view."

"Instead of subscribing for $9.99 a month to download the offered movies, another option is to buy the movies individually," the survey reads. "You would be able to select any movie available on this service, download it to your PC where you can keep it as long as you like. You would be able to view it on your computer as well as play it on your video capable iPod."


A very interesting article, which if true would be another cash cow for Apple - it would surely drive the uptake of video iPods and new Mac's with Front Row.

I know I would subscribe to a film rental service - but i live in the UK so we probably wouldn't see it for another year or two. 😀

 

[darh]

Could this be the reason why apple bought that data center a couple of days ago? Because i think they will need a LOT of space to host all those movies, escpecially when they are in hi def...

 

[Keebler]

technology and the quality of dloaded movies

hey folks,

perhaps this should be a seperate chat, but I was thinking about the quality of dloaded movies versus the obvious issue of bandwidth.

with the prevalence of torrents out there, is it technically possible for apple to set up a cluster of machines in their recently purchased data warehouse to act as 'torrents'? I was thinking that if they had a pile of machines, they could just send DVD type files as the dloading would be faster?

I'm NOT a technically savvy person about servers and dloading so I may be way off. I just know I read an article a while back (can't find! 🙁 which described on of the torrent companies possibly going 'good' like napster and working with a company like Apple to provide that service. i was thinking it would be the only real way to get this done?

thoughts? am i way off here?

 

[achie25]

I would be interested in this. Damn Apple. It will make me finally break down and get a video ipod! 🙄

 

[shamino]

...the copy software breaks macrovision encryption which is a violation of the DMCA

Macrovision is an analog protection scheme that prevents you from attaching a VCR to a DVD player. Use of a video stabilizer/filter device to remove its garbage from the video signal is not illegal.

CSS is the encryption on a DVD. The DMCA prevents you from breaking it or distributing software that breaks it. But the DMCA only affects US citizens. Don't forget that MacRumors is an international forum. It may well be legal in the country laidbackliam lives in.

there is no way in hell that apple will allow users to burn playable copies of any downloaded video content to disc.

I suspect Apple may be OK with this, but they don't own the copyright to most content. Of course, if they should buy Disney/ABC, that may change 😉

 

[shamino]

I like the concept, but the pricing concerns me.

$10/mo for a subscription service isn't a bad deal, given the fact that services like Netflix cost $18/mo for the more popular plans.

Not being able to burn to DVD concerns me, but I'm sure someone will come up with software to break that sooner or later.

$13/movie for purchase is insane. Charging almost the same price as a DVD for lower quality and no bonus features will never be acceptable.