Plex Launches Movie Rental Store

[MacRumors]

Media platform Plex today announced the launch of a dedicated movie rental store, allowing U.S. Plex users to purchase content directly from Plex rather than from a third-party store like YouTube, Apple TV, or Amazon Video.

Popular movies like Barbie, Aquaman, Mission Impossible, Wonka, Priscilla, and more can be purchased using Plex.

Plex users will have 30 days to start playback after renting a movie, and once playback begins, the movie can be watched multiple times in a 48-hour window.

Along with recent movies to purchase, Plex also offers a large selection of movies that are available to watch for free on demand (with ads), as well as free live television.

Plex movies can be rented through the Plex Web App on iOS devices, but purchases work on Apple TV, iOS, the Plex Web App, Fire TV, and supported smart TVs from LG, Samsung, and more. Plex does not support renting movies directly on the iPhone, iPad, or Apple TV, presumably to avoid Apple's cut.

Rentals start at $3.99 for older movies, but popular new releases cost up to $20.99. Wonka, for example, is $20.99, which is actually a dollar more than it costs to rent the movie from Apple's TV app. There is no option to purchase movies on Plex, and rented movies cannot be downloaded.

Movie rentals are limited to the United States as of now, and Plex has not said whether the renting option will expand to additional countries.

Article Link: Plex Launches Movie Rental Store

 

[macduke]

Rentals start at $3.99 for older movies, but popular new releases cost up to $20.99. Wonka, for example, is $20.99, which is actually a dollar more than it costs to rent the movie from Apple's TV app.

Hold up, I haven’t rented a movie in ages. Are you telling me it costs twenty whole dollars to rent a movie from Apple nowadays? Excuse me??

 

[Apple_Robert]

I like and use the Plex Server software (with Infuse) but, I won't be partaking in renting any movies. $20+ dollars to rent a newer movie is more than I would be willing to spend, provided there was one that caught my attention.

 

[Apple_Robert]

Hold up, I haven’t rented a movie in ages. Are you telling me it costs twenty whole dollars to rent a movie from Apple nowadays? Excuse me??

For some of their movies it does.

 

[Mrkevinfinnerty]

This would've gone down a storm in 2007

 

[Fuzzball84]

Rent, rent, rent…. Subscription, Subscription, Subscription…

Its all businesses do these days

Imagine in 5 or 10 years… some bright spark will come up with a new model for the times… and call it ownership

We are so excited with this new model, we call it ownership. We are so excited to see what you do with ownership.

 

[Timpetus]

Weird that they think this is what their customers want. I expect very few takers, considering the point of Plex is to stream content you already own instead of renting content or paying monthly for streaming services.

 

[tgwaste]

Hold up, I haven’t rented a movie in ages. Are you telling me it costs twenty whole dollars to rent a movie from Apple nowadays? Excuse me??

Some movies to watch early yes. Eventually they go to "normal price". But I never rent, I only buy. If I'm going to pay to watch a movie I would rather just own it.

 

[AF_APPLETALK]

Jesus.

I guess it's time to actually put one of my older Macs to work as a media server/media player. This is the beginning of the end for Plex

 

[tgwaste]

Weird that they think this is what their customers want. I expect very few takers, considering the point of Plex is to stream content you already own instead of renting content or paying monthly for streaming services.

I dunno.. I agree thats one of the points of Plex but for me Plex is also a way to consolidate different sources into one place. I think this will make them some money. We want that so they keep updating it. I can't imagine they make all that much on people buying lifetimes for ~$100 and Ads.

What tripped me out was the other day I learned Plex was the built off the original XBMC. I never knew that. XBMC changed my life. I still have an original XBOX running it in the box it came in as a collectors item.

 

[Fuzzball84]

Some movies to watch early yes. Eventually they go to "normal price". But I never rent, I only buy. If I'm going to pay to watch a movie I would rather just own it.

These days, even if you “own” it on such platforms… you dont really own it. You own the right to download and view it. Until soneone decides you dont.

I always used to think people sticking to DVD etc werent moving with the times… but they are the ones that own their collections and the companies that sold them the DVD have no control over what they decide to do with that DVD…. Its theirs until disc rot happens or bit rot.

 

[Apple_Robert]

I dunno.. I agree thats one of the points of Plex but for me Plex is also a way to consolidate different sources into one place. I think this will make them some money. We want that so they keep updating it. I can't imagine they make all that much on people buying lifetimes for ~$100 and Ads.

Don't forget their live tv options that appear to be slowly growing.

 

[frownface]

I thought the whole point of plex was to avoid paying for things hmmm

 

[poematik13]

Beginning of the end haha. Next: they’ll eliminate the core functionality of streaming your own (pirated, obviously) content

 

[Apple_Robert]

Beginning of the end haha. Next: they’ll eliminate the core functionality of streaming your own (pirated, obviously) content

Just because a company is looking to increase its revenue with a different source doesn't necessarily mean it's the end of the company. If Plex can make money with some rentals, why not?

 

[Nermal]

This is the beginning of the end for Plex

On another forum I saw a suggestion that the "stream your own stuff" functionality may gradually get worse and worse. The premise was that these rentals are a new income stream for Plex, and that over time the movie studios may start dictating "stop doing X, or we'll take away some of your income stream".

Possibly a bit cynical, but possibly not...

 

[Steve01234]

Plex iOS player app needs to fix their constant BT diconnect problems. the player can't stay connected for 5 min before it drops. was never this bad.

 

[k1121j]

I love Plex I have it running on my synology NAS. Not sure id would rent movies on it though. I have been getting in to the Plex tv lately I kinda like it.

 

[anshuvorty]

Why would you want to rent from Plex compared to the other offerings out there? What does Plex give you that the other providers don't?

 

[diamondsw]

Plex is working its way through ******tification.

(I appreciate the language filter in most cases, but this kind of ruins the point!)

 

[CarAnalogy]

Rent, rent, rent…. Subscription, Subscription, Subscription…

Its all businesses do these days

Imagine in 5 or 10 years… some bright spark will come up with a new model for the times… and call it ownership

We are so excited with this new model, we call it ownership. We are so excited to see what you do with ownership.

I really wish. But no, I’m afraid it will go the other way. The concept of ownership will be scrubbed out with the next couple of generations.

 

[diamondsw]

Why would you want to rent from Plex compared to the other offerings out there? What does Plex give you that the other providers don't?

Nothing; not only does this stand at odds with their userbase, it's painfully "me-too" and adds nothing new. I view this as a net negative to Plex.

 

[anshuvorty]

Nothing; not only does this stand at odds with their userbase, it's painfully "me-too" and adds nothing new. I view this as a net negative to Plex.

I see.

 

[JoeShades]

Just because a company is looking to increase its revenue with a different source doesn't necessarily mean it's the end of the company. If Plex can make money with some rentals, why not?

People just like to complain about anything

 

[k1121j]

Plex iOS player app needs to fix their constant BT diconnect problems. the player can't stay connected for 5 min before it drops. was never this bad.

BT? I stream full 38GB 4k movies locally in original format no issues what’s the BT that gives you problems?