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'Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2' Gets 4K Mention on iTunes, Suggesting Disney's 4K Holdout May Be Ending
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As I understand it, some studios' films made their 4K debut on iTunes. I don't see why that couldn't happen with Disney as well.
The card has been updated. Doesn't say 4k HDR anymore. Preemptive or a mistake? Hopefully Preemptive 
As far as I know, Movies Anywhere movies are also included in the free 4k upgrade. I just recently connected my iTunes to Movies Anywhere, and my HD digital copies of "Mad Max: Fury Road," "The Lego Batman Movie," and "Man of Steel" all show up in iTunes now as "4k" and include iTunes Extras (two of them were digital copies that came with Blu Rays, one was purchased digitally from Amazon). It's possible it depends on the studio, and I guess it's possible that it varies by country. But all the movies I had in Movies Anywhere that HAVE a 4k version in iTunes show up in my iTunes library as 4k.
Not only that, but somewhat amazingly, SD digital copies in iTunes are also upgraded (I had a pitiful SD copy of JJ Abram's 2009 "Star Trek" that came with the Blu Ray (shame!), and it now shows up as "4k" also!)
Just open iTunes on your phone, swipe to the banner for 4K movies, under the New Releases section tap on See All> and it’ll list every 4K HDR movie in iTunes.
Please play these movies and let us know if they are really 4K, I have read in a home theater forum that this indicator is false, they actually play in HD.
Also, I have the same DC of Star Trek, (I do not have the 4K ATV, just the 4th gen. ATV), and it is still SD, so, please play the movie and let us know.
From the way Apple worded it, HD movies purchased through iTunes will get the free UHD upgrade. That might include HD digital copies redeemed through iTunes, but, not titles linked from Movies Anywhere. (Also, Movies Anywhere does not currently support UHD at all, if a title was purchased UHD, you can only play UHD from that source, not MA app., it will only transfer over in HD.)
Yeah I was super happy when i saw the email. I almost bought the 4k collection on BR last week but BB was sold out and so i just forgot about it.
Especially great considering I bought the entire collection on iTunes for ten bucks four years ago and now have 4k versions.
The whole "buy" in 4k sounds like a bait and switch.
Your purchase is the ability to stream it, you cannot download or pre-download. Its a major semantic falsehood. I don't have the network speed from an ISP to stream 4k, but I can pre download it in iTunes (or if the Apple TV ad the ability to) then airplay it to the Apple TV. This is what I typically do with movies I "own" in iTunes. I have a big media Apple box that pulls my purchases as I make them and automatically downloads them in HD quality so I can watch it later or when i get back from work.
This 4k decision is more like unlimited renting. I might as well just rent it every-time i want to watch and save a heck of a lot more money than buying it outright unless I just want lower HD version to watch.
Your purchase is the ability to stream it, you cannot download or pre-download. Its a major semantic falsehood. I don't have the network speed from an ISP to stream 4k, but I can pre download it in iTunes (or if the Apple TV ad the ability to) then airplay it to the Apple TV. This is what I typically do with movies I "own" in iTunes. I have a big media Apple box that pulls my purchases as I make them and automatically downloads them in HD quality so I can watch it later or when i get back from work.
This 4k decision is more like unlimited renting. I might as well just rent it every-time i want to watch and save a heck of a lot more money than buying it outright unless I just want lower HD version to watch.
Many movies weren't filmed in 4K, but easily upgraded to 4K, post-production. Granted, most movies converted to 4K have judder and other issues, but most 4K upgraded animated movies have less noticable issues. I do think it's ridiculous that Disney is holding out. Greedy bastards.
Correct, HD movies ported from Movies Anywhere play a step above HD but aren't 4K (Unless they are originally 4K from Vudu etc. then it ports fully 4K). There's a LONG thread on this in the forums. Before playing the movie it says 4K but while in the movie if you swipe down it says "HD" not 4K. This has also been confirmed through the on screen stats via xcode.
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As others have said the 4k/hdr indicators in itunes store and TV app and ATV are misleading. If you play any of these ported movies and swipe down it will show you resolution and HDR/DV status. It will likely tell you it is playing in HD. This isn't necessarily true however if you purchase a UHD copy somewhere else and port to iTunes. For example if you purchase a UHD version on Vudu it seems to port over as true 4K on itunes if available as those rights seem to carry over but if it is an HD purchase you will not get an upgrade in itunes.
Actually, just in general. I shouldn't have to jump through those hoops. The buy option should be there and if someone accidentally clicks it, just gives a warning. I have a lot movies that I redeemed a few years ago that had the SD version, for instance Star Trek. I wanted to upgrade to the new 4K version when it was on sale for $10. Wouldn't do it. They had a great $10 4k Sell. I would have upgraded 7 movies to 4K if the stupid service would have let me and some of those films I got through iTunes, but it didn't automatically update.
Yes. Here: http://forum.blu-ray.com/showthread.php?t=296551&page=103
I stumbled onto this when the Harry Potter movies were released in 4K and like the very frequent updates these users do.
Not only does Disney not support 4k in iTunes and Vudu right now, but Disney deliberately canceled 4k redemption of 4k digital codes. They used to redeem in 4k on iTunes, Vudu, and MA, but now only redeem in HD. I also suspect, Disney being Disney, that they will be a holdout on the iTunes "free 4k upgrade" program if and when 4k Disney titles become available on iTunes.
Disney Movies NEVER redeemed 4K on iTunes. There are only 3 Disney Movies available in 4K - Cars 3, the last Pirates movie and Guardians. They JUST started releasing 4K UHD titles two months ago. All 3 movies are available on Vudu UHD. So I'm not sure what the point of your post is, other than to spread Misinformation or maybe you just weren't aware.
Those films aren't owned by Disney and Marvel. The rights are Fox and Sony. So even though the new Spider-Man was technically done by Marvel Studios, the rights remain with Sony. So since Sony and Fox have opted to join the 4K bunch, those movies are in 4K.
You realize Logan is a Fox movie and NOT Marvel Studios (which is owned by Disney)
I have all 8 Films and they’re all now 4K except the first one... what’s up with that?
Not interested, though if Apple and Celestial are now only making Shaw Brothers movies available for rent and not purchase (as what might be the case going forward), Apple has all but lost me as a consumer. I do not use any 
services beyond purchases in iTunes.
services beyond purchases in iTunes.
If Laurene still has all her Disney stock, she should get on the phone with Bob and make this happen.
Interesting, but in the case of this particular movie, which was made in 2K, not exactly all that exciting.
It's well worth having a rummage around IMDB to see how few movies are actually made in 4K these days. They're rare beasts. Older movies shot on real film are a different entirely of course, hence the recent beautiful 4K transfers of the likes of ET, Close Encounters, Leon, and Blade Runner.
[doublepost=1511028529][/doublepost]
For what it's worth, they're all upscales. Some also have an elevated black floor, which looks really, really awful. Blade Runner has the same issue. Whoever is doing iTunes 4K DV QA is really messing up.
It's well worth having a rummage around IMDB to see how few movies are actually made in 4K these days. They're rare beasts. Older movies shot on real film are a different entirely of course, hence the recent beautiful 4K transfers of the likes of ET, Close Encounters, Leon, and Blade Runner.
[doublepost=1511028529][/doublepost]
For what it's worth, they're all upscales. Some also have an elevated black floor, which looks really, really awful. Blade Runner has the same issue. Whoever is doing iTunes 4K DV QA is really messing up.
How much longer are we expected to wait for 4K HDR on MacBooks and iMacs?
I shouldn't need to be confined to my TV if I want to watch Netflix in 4K and HDR in 2017.
Come on Apple, HDR10, HLG and Dolby Vision should be standard across all your devices by now.
I shouldn't need to be confined to my TV if I want to watch Netflix in 4K and HDR in 2017.
Come on Apple, HDR10, HLG and Dolby Vision should be standard across all your devices by now.