I really like this thread. Fantastic read. Gotta add my two cents. I am a big blu-ray fan. In fact I'm pretty certain that blu-ray will be the final physical format for movies we will see until the medium itself changes one day. The reason I say this is for the simple reason that historically, we only get new formats for digital mediums for one reason, necessity for change. Blu-ray is in, because we can now fit movies in their maximum sound and visual quality on one single disc. In the future, there's really no where to go. We have already pretty much reached maximum quality. It was obvious VHS wouldn't last forever, nor was DVD ever going to. But just like CD did for music lovers, blu-ray has provided a standard of quality that really doesn't need to be surpassed.
Over the coming years, when we can dl 1080p films from iTunes, I think we will see the market split pretty cleanly between those who prefer to buy physical format movies on blu-ray, and those who like to download. One way won't be better than the other. There will always be luddites and people who prefer to own physical versions of things, just as there will always be minimalists who prefer to have everything on a hard drive. But the issue isn't whether physical is better than digital or vice versa, in fact, I believe in the end they will be as good as each other.
Obviously for all intents and purposes, buying a blu-ray movie is now the better option for the average consumer. It's often the same price as a digital download, but better quality visuals and audio, extra features and closed captioning. So yes, from my point of view, Apple are are pissing off customers for not jumping on the blu-ray bandwagon. It would be a piece of cake for them to add blu-ray tech to their computers. What I'm trying to actually understand though, is their motive for not doing it.
As far as I can see, Apple are really pushing the whole downloading movies through iTunes as the way of the future. They're doing this because they can earn money, a lot of money. They understand that they can earn this money both short and long term. But adding blu-ray to their computers will only earn them money long term. I'd say Apple believe that if they put blu-ray into their machines, it will actually detract from their overall movie downloads on iTunes at the moment, because it will be a piece of cake to go to video stores, rent blu-rays, and rip them to computers. Or doing the same thing from borrowing friends blu-ray discs. Only a select few people download 1080p quality films from torrent sites, the file sizes are just too big. So yeah, I guess Apple are clever for the moment, they are maximising on their profits from iTunes movie downloads in the short term. But I believe eventually, they will need to add blu-ray drives to their machines in order to cash in on those customers who just simply prefer to own physical copies of films. The other change they will need to make will be an overhaul of iTunes movie section. Customers will want special features and closed captioning with their 1080p downloads in the future.
Apple have a hard road ahead of them for the coming years, especially when having to compete with blu-ray for selling films. But they have one big ass advantage which will come into play in a couple of years. Apple TV. Eventually when it becomes viable to download and store blu-ray quality films from iTunes onto Apple TV and other Apple devices, this will be when blu-ray and digital download will balance out into the equilibrium it will remain at. Until then...Apple are annoying customers and film lovers...but for good long term reasons I think...
Over the coming years, when we can dl 1080p films from iTunes, I think we will see the market split pretty cleanly between those who prefer to buy physical format movies on blu-ray, and those who like to download. One way won't be better than the other. There will always be luddites and people who prefer to own physical versions of things, just as there will always be minimalists who prefer to have everything on a hard drive. But the issue isn't whether physical is better than digital or vice versa, in fact, I believe in the end they will be as good as each other.
Obviously for all intents and purposes, buying a blu-ray movie is now the better option for the average consumer. It's often the same price as a digital download, but better quality visuals and audio, extra features and closed captioning. So yes, from my point of view, Apple are are pissing off customers for not jumping on the blu-ray bandwagon. It would be a piece of cake for them to add blu-ray tech to their computers. What I'm trying to actually understand though, is their motive for not doing it.
As far as I can see, Apple are really pushing the whole downloading movies through iTunes as the way of the future. They're doing this because they can earn money, a lot of money. They understand that they can earn this money both short and long term. But adding blu-ray to their computers will only earn them money long term. I'd say Apple believe that if they put blu-ray into their machines, it will actually detract from their overall movie downloads on iTunes at the moment, because it will be a piece of cake to go to video stores, rent blu-rays, and rip them to computers. Or doing the same thing from borrowing friends blu-ray discs. Only a select few people download 1080p quality films from torrent sites, the file sizes are just too big. So yeah, I guess Apple are clever for the moment, they are maximising on their profits from iTunes movie downloads in the short term. But I believe eventually, they will need to add blu-ray drives to their machines in order to cash in on those customers who just simply prefer to own physical copies of films. The other change they will need to make will be an overhaul of iTunes movie section. Customers will want special features and closed captioning with their 1080p downloads in the future.
Apple have a hard road ahead of them for the coming years, especially when having to compete with blu-ray for selling films. But they have one big ass advantage which will come into play in a couple of years. Apple TV. Eventually when it becomes viable to download and store blu-ray quality films from iTunes onto Apple TV and other Apple devices, this will be when blu-ray and digital download will balance out into the equilibrium it will remain at. Until then...Apple are annoying customers and film lovers...but for good long term reasons I think...
