Apple Removes Download Options From Quicktime Trailers Website

[Chupa Chupa]

Incredible... Apple has completely lost the fundamental reasons why I fell in love with it....

I'm upset that they are removing more and more options and replacing them with restrictions!

Except we don't know why they did it. Everyone upset is jumping to conclusions. As others have said, it very well could be to reallocate server use -- that isn't an infinite resource even for Apple.

It could be that the Apple no longer has a license to allow trailer downloads -- Apple doesn't own the download rights, the studios do.

It could be that Apple is going to announce at WWDC a new codec for 1080p video that allows for faster downloads and it needs to remove nonessential 1080p video from its servers now in preparation for that launch.

It could be any or none of these things, we don't know, but it's foolish to just assume. And at any rate, it's just trailers. It's not going to matter to normal consumers because they use trailers to see if they want to watch a movie. Whether that trailer is in 720 or 1080, especially on a tiny computer screen is really unimportant to them.

 

[iBug2]

Its not really a case of doing it 'because you can' though. I could download a 4k trailer in 10 minutes. I wouldn't simply because its a trailer. Sure I could understand for the full movie, but I reiterate, its a trailer.

It'd be like being upset that iTunes previews were only 192kbit. It's a free 'taster', you dont think to yourself 'oh this preview had poor video quality, thus the movie must be crap'.

1080p trailers is a nice perk, but its not like its the end of the world, unless of course we have some rather sad people who leave trailers running on their 80" screen 24/7 to show off.

A trailer is not like an iTunes preview. Trailers are small movies themselves. They are being produced, musical scores are being composed for trailers sometimes even. I want to watch my trailers at the highest quality possible.

 

[Terrin]

Perhaps it's time Apple phased out Quicktime? My experience of streaming Quicktime video has never been good, while Netflix, Youtube and iPlayer all deliver reliable 720p streaming over a comparable connection.

QuickTime is the backbone of many of Apple's products. I find it works great. I always opt for QuickTime when possible.

 

[Toltec21]

HD-Trailers.net still has download links:
http://www.hd-trailers.net/page/1/

For example, Apple had an exclusive on the Don Jon trailer this week and it didn't feature any DL links, but HD-Trailers.net has a 1080p link straight from Apple's server.

I'm pretty sure these links are available for viewing, but when I tried opening Pacific Rim Trailer 2 in a variety of manners, it won't let me save it.

And it's very interesting that the 1080p link to Apple's server is available here, but not visible on Apple Quicktime's site!

 

[thebluepointe]

This probably has more to do with tracking views than intellectual property rights. Movie studios are obsessed with tracking every click/view and they can't tell if you watched the Iron Man 3 trailer one time or 20 times when you download it or track those you share it with.

 

[Toltec21]

And at any rate, it's just trailers. It's not going to matter to normal consumers because they use trailers to see if they want to watch a movie. Whether that trailer is in 720 or 1080, especially on a tiny computer screen is really unimportant to them.

Au Contraire, they don't serve a disposable purpose and as others have noted here, some movies fans like myself collect them and enjoy them a great deal as their own art form.

I'm a huge Apple Quicktime Trailer fan from both the website (http://trailers.apple.com/trailers/) or the Trailers submenu on iTunes. I tipped off MacRumors hoping to get their help in getting an official answer because I haven't heard back from Apple Customer Service. I was going to download the new Elysium Trailer (in 1080p) yesterday via iTunes to play on my Apple TV 3 when I noticed it is only offered as a stream feature and only in 480p or 720p. So not only do they not offer it in 1080p at all including newer trailers like the brand new Man of Steel trailer, but they've eliminated entirely the download feature that's been there since forever.

However older stuff by a few days still shows the download option and up to 1080p. UNLESS they have added a recent new trailer like the latest Man of Steel Trailer, so now all the previous trailers of Man of Steel are also stream only, 720p max, and no download option.

What is up with that? How can they go back to 720p when that contradicts their other offerings for paid content?

My first guess is it might an "IP" matter where the studios are seeing the trailers more and more as "added content" to enhance their digital sales via iTunes or wherever. It's not a true Featurette or Electronic Press Kit or forget a Charles Lauzirika Making Of Documentary (the Gold Standard), but might be worth something to a consumer (otherwise why feature it on a blu ray?).

Another good guess from someone here is that it's the Studios enforcing their ownership of this material so it might not be "Apple's fault", but a measured response trying to deal with all that they are carrying on their servers. Maybe the older stuff is grandfathered in.

Getting grim over here because I checked Yahoo and I think their old trailer download features are also completely wiped out and are stream only.

It's a sad day for movie trailer fans!

 

[iBug2]

You would waste physical hard space on a movie trailer?

A trailer is around 150MB's at 1080p. So a 2TB hard drive which costs 100$ can have over 13000 trailers. Considering there aren't that many trailers one wants to keep handy, it's not that much hard disk space at all. It's like saying, why would anyone want to keep an album on their HD's instead of streaming.

 

[BornAgainMac]

Google or Microsoft need to fill this gap then.

 

[Drunken Master]

And not as single flip was given!

 

[ValSalva]

This probably has more to do with tracking views than intellectual property rights. Movie studios are obsessed with tracking every click/view and they can't tell if you watched the Iron Man 3 trailer one time or 20 times when you download it or track those you share it with.

This is very plausible. Bean counters need stuff to count

 

[HD-Trailers.net]

As many of you have already discovered, Apple's 1080p trailers are still available for download, just not exposed anywhere. On our site, we just do a 1080p check now, before posting the new trailer.

Yahoo was the first to switch to low quality trailers, followed by MovieFone. I guess technically Fandango was the first to go, but they weren't a quality trailer source to begin with.

I have no inside knowledge of why they removed the download options, but if I had to guess, it's Apple's philosophy of simplicity. Their belief is that too many options will just confuse the user. Most people besides trailer nuts like us care about being able download the trailer. What people want to do is click watch and get the best possible quality they can.

Their current platform doesn't support dynamically changing quality based on screen size or bandwidth, and that's what I thinking they're working on.

Many of us who do download trailers began not because we wanted to keep the trailers, but because it was impossible to stream 1080p. Downloading it allowed us to watch the whole trailer without random pauses and that is what I believe Apple is trying to fix.

 

[Oberhorst]

What the flock? This is bad. I'm subscribed to movietrailerclips on Youtube, they bring full HD trailers, but some of them are from Apple. I hope they find others now. I love trailers!

 

[iGrip]

1080p trailers is a nice perk, but its not like its the end of the world,

I don't understand your criteria.

For example, the upcoming demise of the Mac Pro will not be the end of the world, but a small group of people will nevertheless be distraught.

Why go to extremes like "the end of the world"? Nothing has ever fit that criteria. Not even World Wars, but one cannot thereby conclude that such events are insignificant.

 

[Simplicated]

the upcoming demise of the Mac Pro will not be the end of the world

And you know that Mac Pro is on the way to demise because?

 

[charlituna]

Well that certainly sucks and is rather baffling.

Or not. The answer could be very simple. The Studios don't want the option to be there. And if Apple didn't pull it the Studios won't give permission for them to post the trailers.

Folks forget that the Studios and Networks are the ones with the power. They are the ones that dictate pricing, quality, timing of materials. For example, it's Warners, not Apple that is holding back Game of Thrones until the next season has launched and then pricing it way high (stupid moves to me but not my call)

 

[kwikdeth]

Absolutely, I am refreshing page one to get maybe some leaks on a possible mac pro and rmbp release at the wwdc, and I get a news item about trailers on apple's site? Wtf?

Back in the days before youtube et al, apple trailers was the ONLY way to get quality movie trailers off the internet.
Also - Apple spends almost no time or money on this - they are provided by the movie studios so the amount of money spent is purely for the bandwidth costs and a designer (likely employed by the studio) to whip together a page and upload it.

For those of us who have used macs for more than five years, yeah, this is an item of interest. Its another sign of apple tightening the belts and squeezing out unprofitable ventures, like the "new" mac pro you are foolishly holding out hope for.

 

[charlituna]

Mind-blowing to me that they would yank full HD trailers just as they're trying to get a retina display in every device with a screen.

If the Studios say yank them, then Apple has no choice.

Then again, perhaps they have something up their sleeves. Like h.265. Sure it might be to make the same quality small enough to stream which will still piss off some folks but the trailers would be on the page and the Studios, which I doubt really liked the download option, would be happier

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I have never downloaded a trailer.....to keep..? I actually hate the things and often avoid them. These days they are too long and often show the entire plot of the film.

Some of the 'trailers' are behind the scenes type stuff and I might keep those. As well as my fav examples of good trailers that don't give it all away. I like having a few examples to show the folks that are cutting trailers on productions that my company produces and not just films

 

[iGrip]

And you know that Mac Pro is on the way to demise because?

Nobody knows the future.

 

[cclloyd]

But why. I need 1080p cause they don't have 1800p.

 

[nostromo77]

Buk lau is a riot, but Tyrone is badass!

For you... Nothing but love my man! And you are right!

----------

Except we don't know why they did it. Everyone upset is jumping to conclusions. As others have said, it very well could be to reallocate server use -- that isn't an infinite resource even for Apple.

It could be that the Apple no longer has a license to allow trailer downloads -- Apple doesn't own the download rights, the studios do.

It could be that Apple is going to announce at WWDC a new codec for 1080p video that allows for faster downloads and it needs to remove nonessential 1080p video from its servers now in preparation for that launch.

It could be any or none of these things, we don't know, but it's foolish to just assume. And at any rate, it's just trailers. It's not going to matter to normal consumers because they use trailers to see if they want to watch a movie. Whether that trailer is in 720 or 1080, especially on a tiny computer screen is really unimportant to them.

It would be outstanding if they would come with some new format even better and lighter than MOV, H264 etc... but I doubt that's on the menu. Besides, it's been eons since we've had a QuickTime specific expo or the likes.

I looked into it and all I got was that it's due to the fact that more and more companies premier their trailers on YouTube... But I used to love the Apple trailer based page. Oh well.. bye bye, nothing to see here anymore...

In the long run, I guess I don't mind, someone will pick up, make a cool webpage with trailers like Apple used to and with YouTube enabled features it will actually be better. Besides, we can all get YouTube grabber apps. So I'm sure it will all work out for us all... after all, Apple doesn't seem to really care what we think about this so, no sweat boys and girls, there's always going to be an alternative to what Apple does.

And finally, it's not about the fact that it's "Just" trailers, it's trailers and people love them. It's not got anything to do with customers as PC users also use Apple Trailers and every now and again they slip into that section on that same page where Apple sells products, and they buy something.

Not EVERYTHING has to be about customers buying things, the trailer page has been there for a very long time, now sudden it's getting restricted in features?

And no it's not like Apple is loosing money, APPLE IS THE RICHEST COMPANY OUT THERE... don't you ever forget that... and this isn't anything on their radar. In fact from way up on their mountain of gold, they can't see what normal people like or dislike anymore. (Current product line isn't what Apple used to stand for...)

 

[paul987]

This probably has more to do with tracking views than intellectual property rights. Movie studios are obsessed with tracking every click/view and they can't tell if you watched the Iron Man 3 trailer one time or 20 times when you download it or track those you share it with.

I download these trailers and show them to my friends. If I can't download them, my friends won't see them and won't be exposed to that advertising and hence will be less likely to see the movie. I'd think the studios would care more about getting butts in the seats than they would about counting views.

 

[Porco]

I'd like to echo an earlier post about it not being 'the end of the world', because this is something that comes up again and again on these forums on a wide variety of subjects and this is a perfect example…

/minor rant in state of calmness/

Of course it isn't 'the end of the world' if these download links go away forever. But it is the subject under discussion, so naturally people who care about it at all, even if only in a small way, will express the reasons why in detail. This shouldn't be confused with it being the most important issue being faced in anyone's life right now. You could make a good argument that 99.9% of forum threads on technology sites, if not forum sites in general, are 'first world problems' that no-one should really mind about enough to get angry, upset or annoyed about.

I think it's just 'chewing the fat', making arguments to discuss, expressing a view, and because it usually focuses on a very specific subject matter seems to be mistaken by others as being overly-important for those who defend their position robustly.

However, defending one's position robustly (whether I happen to agree with the position of a post or not) is, IMHO, far more interesting to read than empty comments consisting of no more than such statements as 'who cares?' 'people still do this?', 'no-one cares' and yes, 'it's not the end of the world' / 'get over it'.

/minor rant in state of calmness over/

Or not. The answer could be very simple. The Studios don't want the option to be there. And if Apple didn't pull it the Studios won't give permission for them to post the trailers.

Folks forget that the Studios and Networks are the ones with the power. They are the ones that dictate pricing, quality, timing of materials. For example, it's Warners, not Apple that is holding back Game of Thrones until the next season has launched and then pricing it way high (stupid moves to me but not my call)

Yeah, I just meant it was baffling to me, as right now we don't know why this has happened. Of course it won't necessarily be baffling to me any more once we get an official explanation, if we do, or we find out from a good source the exact reason.

Then I can go from baffled to something else… like 'mildly irritated' probably, assuming it's a permanent move.

 

[JoEw]

A trailer is around 150MB's at 1080p. So a 2TB hard drive which costs 100$ can have over 13000 trailers. Considering there aren't that many trailers one wants to keep handy, it's not that much hard disk space at all. It's like saying, why would anyone want to keep an album on their HD's instead of streaming.

I will listen to an albums hundreds of times, I don't know anyone who will watch a trailer more than a few times.

 

[MonkeySee....]

Well that certainly sucks and is rather baffling. I've often downloaded movie trailers at 1080p, and stuck a load on a flash drive or hard drive to watch on my TV. I guess they don't want people like me to go to their trailer site anymore.

you're not serious?

 

[Porco]

you're not serious?

Assuming you're not just trolling after reading my most recent post before this, yes, and what is wrong with that? Please expand upon what you mean if you have a point rather than an empty question with no context, as otherwise it isn't really clear what you mean.