It was also a technical achievement in 1980 that it no longer is. There is a reason technology makes things cheaper.
Obviously, this cannot be compared to the time when DVDs launched.
TV with the marketing spin of best price in digital downloads. Apple may indeed be looking out for us consumers here. But then again, rumor is that the next iPhone will be priced higher than the last one and margins are well known to be large. If Apple is looking out for us in the price of other company's product pricing, it seems they could much more easily do us a similar favor in how they price their own products.
I agree - streamed has to be less than the cost of the physical UHD, and I assume it would be more compressed also.
Apple is said to be "scrambling" to strike deals with movie studios in Hollywood regarding the exact prices of 4K movies in the iTunes Store, taking places just weeks ahead of the rumored debut of the new 4K Apple TV in mid-September.
While the talks have been ongoing for some time, discussions have been recently hampered by disagreements over the pricing of 4K movie purchases, according to sources close to the talks (via The Wall Street Journal). Apple wants to charge $19.99 for 4K movie purchases in its digital iTunes Store, the same price it currently charges for newly-released HD films.
However, many Hollywood studios it has talked with are pushing back on that price point and are looking to charge customers a premium for the new 4K content: $25 to $30 for a 4K movie in iTunes.
Apple is said to be trying to finish these discussions well before September 12, the currently rumored date that will see the unveiling of the new 4K Apple TV, iPhone 8, iPhone 7s, iPhone 7s Plus, Apple Watch Series 3, and more software-related announcements. As iTunes loses market share to companies like Amazon and Comcast, Apple is hoping that a revitalized Apple TV streaming box with 4K content -- which many rival devices have already supported -- will help boost iTunes sales into the last half of 2017 and the new year.
In other Hollywood-related talks, earlier this month it was reported that multiple studios were pushing forward with a plan to offer digital movie rentals mere weeks after they appear in theaters. Studios like Universal Pictures and Warner Bros. were said to be in talks with partners, including Apple, to offer movies in iTunes as early as 17 days after their theatrical debut for about $50, or four to six weeks from release for $30.
Article Link: Apple Wants to Sell 4K Movies for $20 in iTunes, While Film Studios Want $25 to $30
I'm sure Apple is looking out for themselves, as well as consumers. It has to be worth it to them to sell content. If it's priced too high, the volume of sales will be low. The more content their customers buy from iTunes, the more valuable the Apple ecosystem is to them. Apple has a pretty good idea of what most people are willing to pay for content.OR Apple wants to roll out their new
As a consumer, I'm certainly glad that any company is trying to drive down prices I would potentially pay. That's great. But we shouldn't be so quick to crown one saint and all of the other players villains. Apple is not exactly the "most profitable company in the world" because they drive prices we pay to the lowest possible levels.
