Apple Launches iTunes Store Movie Downloads in France and Ireland

[MacRumors]

Apple today announced the launch of movie downloads for its iTunes Stores in France and Ireland. The offerings include both purchases and rentals and come from major studios such as 20th Century Fox, MGM, Paramount, Sony, Universal, Disney, and Warner Brothers, as well as smaller European-focused studios.

iTunes movies start at €7.99 for catalog title purchases, €9.99 for recent releases and €13.99 for new releases. iTunes Movie Rentals are €2.99 for library title rentals and €3.99 for new releases, and high definition versions are priced at just one euro more.

Apple's movie rental program allows users 30 days from the time of payment in which to watch content, although once a movie has been started, customers have 48 hours to complete their viewing.

Apple launched movie purchases through the iTunes Store in the U.S. with Disney in late 2006, and has expanded both its content and geographic reach over the years. iTunes Store movie rentals first appeared in the U.S. in early 2008.

Article Link: Apple Launches iTunes Store Movie Downloads in France and Ireland

 

[JDee]

Very surprised this wasn't in France already.

 

[FearlessSpiff]

What about Switzerland?

 

[andyone]

Can we please finally get features like in DVD releases (subtitles, multiple audio tracks)?

 

[patricksan]

What about Belgium?

 

[MadCow42]

Different terms than USA?

The USA rentals expire 24 hours after you start viewing, not 48 hours...

The problem with 24 is that you can't split watching a movie into two evenings - unless you start earlier on the second night. If you have a routine of putting the kids down, and starting up a movie for an hour or so at a specific time, you're screwed.

For a lark, last week I sent sjobs an email asking for them to consider at least 26 hours for this specific reason. Maybe he listened.

MadCow.

 

[mosiejczuk]

Still no iTunes in Central Europe... They are actually against European law and they don't give a ****.

 

[iMat77]

Yeeeaahhh

Finally.

I bet AppleTV is not going to be a hobby much longer now. App store, content available in more countries, new CPU design possibilities in house...

Anyway. Any info about which languages the movies will be available in? Only French (talking about France, of course) or also original english version?

I am looking forward for the movies to be available in Switzerland as well (someone anticipated me on that). But the prices seem quite different from the US iTunes store...

Anyway, better than nothing. Now let's see how long it takes for other countries to join in as well. And watch which impact it might have on iPad and AppleTV sales (hoping a new version of the AppleTV is on its way, since mine is becoming the oldest Apple device in the house...)

 

[Yvan256]

What about Québec? Yes I know we already got movies too. But so far there's no sign of any french offerings or even french audio tracks or at least french subtitles. Region 1 DVDs often have both of those, why can't the movies in the iTunes Store also have them?

There's a french-Canadian section for music (even a free single of the week in french too, so if you're bilingual that means two free songs every week!), so why no french movies yet?

I always prefer to watch movies in their original language, however sometimes some actors have thick accents and I would need subtitles to actually understand what they're saying.

 

[baryon]

Still no iTunes in Central Europe... They are actually against European law and they don't give a ****.

What part of Central Europe? I'm in Hungary, which is officially Central Europe, and we have had iTunes for about a year now.

 

[MedHead]

At long long last

Been waiting for this for so long, had very nearly given up hope of it ever arriving!

 

[hofer]

Missing Titles

I wish Apple would devote more efforts into building a more complete catalogue. Every time I hear of a great movie, I go to my AppleTV to look for it in the Itunes (US) store, but way to often I am being disappointed by its absence.

Apple could be a major player in the movie rental business, but without a better catalogue they are going nowhere.

 

[crobi]

What about Québec? Yes I know we already got movies too. But so far there's no sign of any french offerings or even french audio tracks or at least french subtitles. Region 1 DVDs often have both of those, why can't the movies in the iTunes Store also have them?

There's a french-Canadian section for music (even a free single of the week in french too, so if you're bilingual that means two free songs every week!), so why no french movies yet?

I always prefer to watch movies in their original language, however sometimes some actors have thick accents and I would need subtitles to actually understand what they're saying.

I got a contact of me that said Apple want to concentrate to bring film location in europe before giving french speaking film in Québec, so when you have new film store in europe we can think the french version of the film is coming closer.

Vient voir l'histoire sur Macquébec tu en saura plus long.

http://www.macquebec.com/spip.php?article5293&var_recherche=film en français

 

[telecomm]

Are (originally) English language films dubbed, or subtitled on these stores?

 

[Nicolas1980]

What about Belgium?

I second that... Although that's hoping Belgium still exists when Apple finally decides to launch the service here

 

[crobi]

Are (originally) English language films dubbed, or subtitled on these stores?

Yes in France you have the choice of two audio, original audio or French, you can switch to one to the other during you listen to the movie like a DVD or Blue-Ray

 

[telecomm]

Yes in France you have the choice of two audio, original audio or French, you can switch to one to the other during you listen to the movie like a DVD or Blue-Ray

Great! I hope Italy gets a store soon...

 

[MRU]

Jesus it's about time.

Now how about a frickin iPad release date for Ireland ?

 

[iann1982]

What I'd like to see is HD movies to own rather than just rent - it's long overdue.

Are they available in the US?

 

[AAPLove]

Finally..............
Movies have been available for ages in the US. Nice of them to finally think of us poor Irish

 

[Andronicus]

I don't see why the rentals have to expire after 24 hours, I mean I know it's exactly the same way with videos on demand from verizon, but dam!!! I vote for 72 hours before they expire!!

 

[scottyevo]

Now that we finally have movies... what about TV shows?

 

[Becordial]

Pretty amazed that you guys and girls in France, Ireland and yes Belgium didn't have this already.

We've had it for a while here yet but thought we'd be behind you in the list.

 

[delamart]

What about Switzerland?

That's what I said.
At least I can walk over to france and buy French iTunes gift cards and create a french account with those.

 

[mattwolfmatt]

Can we please finally get features like in DVD releases (subtitles, multiple audio tracks)?

+1. In addition to the multiple language audio tracks, I'd LOVE to see commentary included as an audio track. These won't make the file much larger, as it's just the audio, not video. This is what I miss most about most DVDs. I love hearing the producers and actors talk about making a film. This is missing from stuff I buy on itunes.