Sidebar Sidebar
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.

Warner, Paramount, Disney, Fox, Lions Gate to Join iTunes Rentals

This simply will not do while Netflix is around.

The ONLY time this would be better is if you absolutely HAD to watch a low resolution movie on your iPhone IMMEDIATELY instead of getting the DVD the next day. Which is how often... never?

Super mega lame, in line with all of Apple's forays into digital video thus far. Let's hope they have a Netflix style unlimited option for a monthly fee. I won't hold my breath though.
 
Netflix looks a better alternative.
Higher resolution movies, more titles and better price.

I like the convenience of iTunes but $4 for a low res movie and 24 hours doesn't seem as good. Sorry Apple.
 
This is great news except for the 24 hour deal. I would guess that the studios are the ones that are mandating that... hopefully this part is off and we'll at least get 72 hours of play time. Even if we don't... like with many things, if we let our voice heard, things will change.

Either way... this is cool and a step in the right direction... if 5.1 sound and HiDef make it for Apple TV... it will be time to pull out the credit card! :)

I wonder if Steve or the movie studio people reads these posts?
 
Don't mind the $4, I'd probably even pay up to $7, but only if:

-- new release, simultaneous with DVD release, older releases $2-$5
-- 30+ hours rental (2 nights viewing time)
-- at least 720p hi-def transfer, good compression
-- real 5.1 audio
-- apply rental cost to later purchase of either physical DVD or digital download if desired

Until you can give me that, you're not getting a cent of my money, :apple:. And I desperately want to give it to you.
 
4 bucks is a good deal.....if you provide the movie in HD 720P, if not, its a rip off.
 
I don't understand why people complain so much!!! :eek: how many days do you need to watch a movie. downloading on itunes takes no more than 30 minutes. Its simple enough if you want to watch a movie right away and have a group of friends at home all you have to do is just download it and watch it period.
 
MarlboroLite said:
24 hours is ridiculous and I can't think people would be stupid enough to pay 4 bucks for a movie rental that is probably gonna take 3 hours alone to download and only last 1 day! It takes less time and less money to go to the Blockbuster in my town and I can keep the movie for a few days and watch it on a big TV.
Click to expand...

*sigh*

You haven't been keeping up with this topic in the last few years have you? This model is already well proven and works because people ARE willing to pay for convenience. Example: Sky Box Office in the UK allows users to watch movies on their satellite TV box on-demand. When you pay for a movie you either watch it once or can watch as many times as you like in a day (day is considered as 6am to 6am) depending on the movie. It's pretty popular with customers prefering the convenience of being able to suddenly decide they want to watch a movie, browsing the alternatives and being able to watch more-or-less instantly (you have to wait for a scheduled start time of course, it's not an on-demand service).

And the cost for this service? £3.95. That's almost $8! And people DO pay this . Couple an iTunes rental service at a decent rate (let's say £3 for example) with a nice cheap device to watch not only rented movies but TV shows, purchased movies, podcasts etc and you have something that has a very good chance of gaining favour with the public. Whether it will or not is of course down to marketing and pricing and that we'll have to wait and see. But the cost of the movie itself? Very competitive and a model that's proven to work elsewhere.
 
24 hours is weak. 72 is much more reasonable.

And I want to sync it to my iPhone. :network exec has anuerism:
 
MarlboroLite said:
24 hours is ridiculous and I can't think people would be stupid enough to pay 4 bucks for a movie rental that is probably gonna take 3 hours alone to download and only last 1 day! It takes less time and less money to go to the Blockbuster in my town and I can keep the movie for a few days and watch it on a big TV.
Click to expand...

If your internet connection is that slow, then you shouldn't even be watching movies online. I enjoy using the XBOX Live movie rental service, it usually downloads the entire movie in about 30-40 minutes. The quality of the video is good enough to watch on a 32" Samsung LCD, and the convenience is unbeatable. I'm sure itunes movie rentals will work similarly.
 
If the 24hr deal is true, then this totally sucks. I rented a movie off of Xbox Live once and forgot to watch it. That's the last time I rent a movie that only give you 24hrs to watch. Netflix is keeping me happy.
 
It'll be £2.99!

You can already rent digital movies on services like BT Vision IPTV in the UK and the new release price is £2.99. You get 24 hours from the point of order to watch it as may times as you like.

Can't imagine this will be too different, but with a load more users.
 
I'd be willing to use this if a) it works from my AppleTV on my Bravia and b) it's HD (720p is OK, but prefer 1080i/p). The problem with NetFlix is that you have to decide in advance what movies you want to watch. The problem with Blockbuster is that I hate going to Blockbuster just to find out that the movie I wanted isn't available. The problem w/ VOD from Comcast is that the selection is really limited and doesn't refresh all that quickly. Digital download means everyone can have the same movie out at the same time.

Anyway - my thoughts.
 
unconcious said:
I don't understand why people complain so much!!! :eek: how many days do you need to watch a movie. downloading on itunes takes no more than 30 minutes. Its simple enough if you want to watch a movie right away and have a group of friends at home all you have to do is just download it and watch it period.
Click to expand...

I assume because those people have lives?
 
I agree with the feelings of most in here.

$4 is expensive, especially with no physical media costs.

24 hours rental is ridiculous and runs counter to customer expectations of 2-3 days for Blockbuster or "unlimited" for NetFlix.

Low resolution video and slow downloading makes this turkey dead on arrival.

This is a great development with Apple getting major studio support and all, but the product/service design as it stands loses big time.

We shall see...
 
tough call...

I definitely agree that 24 hours is way too short especially if you have to download the entire movie first. I hope that they update the AppleTV so you can order directly through it; and while they're at it they need to add Internet radio to it. Anyways I think that I'll support this because if it does well Apple will have more leverage to bargain w/ the media companies. Also I think digital is the way of the future and Apple can help get us there.
 
This will flop as hard, maybe even harder than AppleTV IMHO.

One of the biggest problems with digital delivery of movie rentals and the like is most people would like to watch movies on their home theater system with their expensive big screen HDTV, surround sound system, etc. etc.

How in god's name, APART from spending an additional $300 on AppleTV, can people do this with iTunes Rentals? I'm no way in hell paying $4 to rent a movie I can watch on my laptop/PC monitor...that's as lame as can be.

One of the reasons Xbox Video Marketplace has taken off as it has is because the Xbox360 is already hooked up to your home theater in high-def with 5.1 audio so you can download a movie rental and watch it, no additional cost.

Also brings into question for someone who has nothing, they can spend $300 on an AppleTV or $400 on an Xbox 360 that will do more than just play movies/music.

I'm sure the Apple faitful and all 10 AppleTV owners will jump at this but I think for most people this will be Apple's 2008 mistake.
 
wtf its not expensive jesus

Jetson said:
I agree with the feelings of most in here.

$4 is expensive, especially with no physical media costs.
Click to expand...

In Norway the rental prices are at 16 to 20$ that is expensive, but 4dollars my God stop your damn whining....
 
I think some people on here are really comparing this to the wrong service. This is NOT a service to compete with NetFlix or Blockbuster Total Access or Brick and Morter stores. This is the compete with VOD services from your Cable/Satellite provider. What most people tend to miss is that there are litterally millions of people out there who don't have the DVR's from the cable company to buy a movie and with DirecTV/Dish you have to wait until the movie starts, ranging from every half hour to every 2 hours. If you have an Apple TV and a decent internet connection (assuming Apple TV will let you buy from the convience of your couch) and prefer not to give cable/satellite your money this is a good solution. Only if it's HD tho - DirecTV PPV movies are in HD so if they even think anyone will do this instead they at least need 720p. Oh, and make it 24 hours from when you hit play, not when you start the download. That could be a HUGE killer. Anyway - make it HD, buyable from the couch w/ Apple TV and 24 hours from hitting Play and you might have made a customer out of me. Just for the record I already have Blockbuster Total Access (aka Netflix - Blockbuster Style) so PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE understand these aren't competing services...
 
jettredmont said:
Why are you excited about this? What does it give you that you do not already have at the same price? Are you unfortunate enough to not have a video rental store less than five minutes from your house? If so, where do you live? And, again, if so, is your DSL/Cable connection fast enough that downloading a movie will work for you?
Click to expand...

It gives me the convenience of iTunes. As I do not have a car, and the nearest Blockbuster is a 35 min roundtrip BUS ride costing me money anyways, being able to use iTunes, and my laptop as the media player, makes this amazing. It is the connivence and the fact that these studios are boosting Apple, not snubbing them. There are many times late at night I wish I could watch movie, but cannot get to Blockbuster to rent it. This isn't necessarily to compete against brick and mortar stores, or netflix; it's to compete against internet DL's that snub a superior format and a superior media player. Go Apple!
Besides, what good is driving everywhere and spending Gas to get a scratched disc, or missing selections provided by people who would wish you dropped dead? Excuse me if you would rather get dressed, drive a car, potentially risk your life (worst case scenario) to deal with acne covered employees that shrug you off, wait in line, drive again, etc.
I'm not saying it's for everyone, but you'd be surprised how many people will love this!

EDIT: Crazy bigmc, we must be cosmic twins. Oh wait, MANY PEOPLE THINK LIKE I DO!
 
Those guys are dying out there-they can pretend, but Cable is eating into their marketshare. and the internet and games and DVD are eating into both
2 days would be better

NBC Vivendi will be back on their knees nervously saying to Apple-"We dont need you-but what the heck-we'll give you a second chance!"
 
japasneezemonk said:
If your internet connection is that slow, then you shouldn't even be watching movies online. I enjoy using the XBOX Live movie rental service, it usually downloads the entire movie in about 30-40 minutes. The quality of the video is good enough to watch on a 32" Samsung LCD, and the convenience is unbeatable. I'm sure itunes movie rentals will work similarly.
Click to expand...

the 360 has movies available in 720P...itunes (as of yet) does not.
 
I have to agree that 24 hours is not long enough to rent a movie.

I fall asleep watching movies. There are lots of 2 and 1/2 hour movies. "Lust Caution". Liked it but dozed. "Atonement". Liked it but fell asleep 90 minutes into it. "There Will Be Blood." The movie came on 2 different DVDs it was so long. It took me 2 nights.

Short funny movies could be 24 hours but long winded ones need at least 48 hours.

Or maybe I just need to get more sleep. zzzzz

512ke
 
In an ideal world....

In an ideal world, couldn't we download a film (start watching as downloading) and save for 24 hours.

Then have the option to buy (minus the rental price e.g £9.99 minus the £2.99) or delete the file.

When you click the £7 buy now option ;-) it allows you to BURN it to a DVD, just like the music tracks...

(And delete the original so as to free up lap top hard drive space.)

I wish!
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.
Top Bottom
Back