Apple Removes 99-Cent TV Show Rentals from iTunes Store and Apple TV [Updated]

[MacRumors]

AppleInsider notes that Apple has apparently quietly discontinued its 99-cent TV show rentals, shutting off access to the offerings via iTunes Store and Apple TV.

The option to rent episodes of TV shows is no longer available on either the Apple TV, or when browsing content via Apple's iTunes application. Previously, participating networks offered users the ability to rent a TV episode for 99 cents, with 30 days to begin watching and 48 hours to complete it.

As further evidence that the ability to rent TV shows has been removed completely, an Apple support document entitled "iTunes Store: How to rent TV shows," has been removed from the Web. A Google cache of the page is still available.

The company's Apple TV page has also been updated to remove mention of the option to rent TV shows on the device.

Movie/TV show feature from Apple TV page: before (left) and after (right) changes​

Apple launched 99-cent TV show rentals alongside the revamped Apple TV last September, but networks were reluctant to sign onto the program, finding the pricing too low for their tastes. The program launched with ABC and Fox on board, but Warner Brothers, NBC, Viacom, and other opted out. It appears that Apple has finally decided to cancel the program as it has been unable to bring a critical mass of studios on board.

Update: AllThingsD has a statement from Apple:

"iTunes customers have shown they overwhelmingly prefer buying TV shows," Apple spokesman Tom Neumayr said. "iTunes in the Cloud lets customers download and watch their past TV purchases from their iOS devices, Apple TV, Mac or PC allowing them to enjoy their programming whenever and however they choose."

Article Link: Apple Removes 99-Cent TV Show Rentals from iTunes Store and Apple TV [Updated]

 

[sza]

See, they begin to change

 

[Capt Underpants]

Subscription models make more sense for television shows.

 

[JoEw]

or perhaps we will see some kind of an "all you can eat' tv subscription service from apple?

 

[gugy]

or perhaps we will see some kind of an "all you can eat' tv subscription service from apple?

That would be nice, but the issue all comes down to lack of content. iTunes doesn't have enough yet to satisfy most consumers. Too bad, I am looking for the day I can drop my cable bill for good.

 

[s1nt4x]

tv shows where not really rental material , the occasion when i wold actually watch a tv show 2 or more times is very very rare so it was just nor profitable, but let`s hope the buy prince will be close to rent price or they will just price them self out of business

 

[pjhamill]

I'm not liking what this Tim Cook guy is doing
(sarcasm)

 

[chickenninja]

something BIGs going down!!!!

 

[jonnysods]

We never had tv show rentals in Canada, we always had to buy them.

 

[FriarNurgle]

I hate commercials, but how neat would it be if they would add live TV streaming.

 

[Benjamins]

or perhaps we will see some kind of an "all you can eat' tv subscription service from apple?

that is something I will signup for.

If they don't like $1 TV rental, I wonder why they'll let redbox do $1 movie rental.

 

[chickenninja]

I'm not liking what this Tim Cook guy is doing
(sarcasm)

Seriously! he destroyed apple overnight!

 

[matbook101]

No............

 

[chickenninja]

I hate commercials, but how neat would it be if they would add live TV streaming.

I just wish they would put radio and TV tuners in their mobile devices. Japans got em.

 

[kainjow]

That sucks, was almost finished with Bones season 6, now I'll have to watch it elsewhere (and no it's not on Netflix yet).

/firstworldproblems

 

[hexonxonx]

I don't mind so much. I think in all this time that I have only rented shows twice on shows that I didn't want to own. I prefer to buy.

 

[Moyank24]

or perhaps we will see some kind of an "all you can eat' tv subscription service from apple?

Hopefully that is the direction they are heading.

 

[reverie]

Wirelessly posted (Mozilla/5.0 (iPhone; U; CPU iPhone OS 4_3_3 like Mac OS X; de-de) AppleWebKit/533.17.9 (KHTML, like Gecko) Version/5.0.2 Mobile/8J2 Safari/6533.18.5)

I think Fox said last year that this is a limited test run. It's likely that they expected (and Steve promised them) far more than a doubling of sales to make up for the lower price point and that never materialized. I personally think it's a real shame. The iTunes video selection is still crippled by multiple issues. Too high prices were and remain one of them, others are spotty selection, "viewing windows", unreliable picture quality and removal of features vs DVD releases.

 

[bdkennedy1]

They are switching to the iCloud. Buy an episode for 99 cents and watch whenever you want.

 

[Icaras]

Why do I see some TV shows on iTunes with the 99 cent rental link then?

Edit: Wow, never mind. Taken down just seconds after I posted this.

 

[lazyrighteye]

or perhaps we will see some kind of an "all you can eat' tv subscription service from apple?

This?

 

[maconservative]

Agree

something BIGs going down!!!!

Maybe this is a prelude to another model for renting TV shows via iTunes and Apple TV.

 

[SteveW928]

More than 99 cents?

There are people who would pay MORE than 99 cents?

 

[hexonxonx]

Why do I see some TV shows on iTunes with the 99 cent rental link then?

Example: Body of Proof

Open that in iTunes and the only option is to purchase.

 

[oliversl]

mmm, if there is no news in a couple of days, then its a big thing.