I watch movies during my commute to and from work. I have about a half hour+ to watch. At times it will take me a few days to get through a whole movie. 24 hours is no good.
Im not buying the "24 hour time limit" rumor
waiting to see next week...
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Warner, Paramount, Disney, Fox, Lions Gate to Join iTunes Rentals
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I watch movies during my commute to and from work. I have about a half hour+ to watch. At times it will take me a few days to get through a whole movie. 24 hours is no good.
Im not buying the "24 hour time limit" rumor
waiting to see next week...
And they have a selection that is way more limited than anything else. How many titles are available at any given time? Just looking at redbox.com gives me a headache, seriously, no way to just type in a movie title?
Some of us want more options than just the latest releases. iTunes rental isn't really competing with redbox, but then again, it doesn't really need to.
This is all a ploy to get everyone hyped up and pissed off so they can make it look so much better at MacWorld with 720 and $0.99/day rentals. 
This is weak!
For anything > 1 movie a month, Netflix absolutely kills Apple here. I'm pretty sure for $4.99 a month Netflix gives you 2 DVDs (i.e. far better quality than iTunes) plus 5 hours of downloaded film.
So, Netflix offers vastly greater selection, much higher quality via DVD if you deal with the mail transport, and even more downloaded film time.
For anything > 1 movie a month, Netflix absolutely kills Apple here. I'm pretty sure for $4.99 a month Netflix gives you 2 DVDs (i.e. far better quality than iTunes) plus 5 hours of downloaded film.
So, Netflix offers vastly greater selection, much higher quality via DVD if you deal with the mail transport, and even more downloaded film time.
Another vote against the 24HR limit, but should Apple fail to think different on this one, my vote will be with my money. It's not whining, its reality for a lot of people. You either have kids or time, rarely both.
Hmm... you either have a medical condition or scheduling issues. I too have a young child, but I can stay awake for more than two hours after he has gone to bed. Heck, that's when I get things done! Watching movies is one of them.
With my local rental chains offereing two films for 99 cents for several day rentals or Netflix offering $17.99 per month for a couple dozen rentals, $3.99 is too steep for me, I'm afraid.
Typically it takes no more than the length of a movie to watch it. And who really wants to watch a movie in pieces - they typically aren't episodic like TV shows.
I'll probably rent new releases and hard-to-find titles
I'm cheap and agree with most everybody else here.
I would rather spend 20 minutes picking up a DVD at Hollywood video, then waiting 3 hours for a download, BUT...
What drives me nuts about the brick & mortar video stores is their limited inventory.
New releases are always checked out AND
Classic obscure titles aren't stocked because the turn over is too slow to pay for shelf space.
I don't subscribe to Netflix, but I would assume Netflix can handle the obscure titles, but they can't provide "instant gratification"
If iTunes movie rentals can play as they download and sync up to Apple TV, then maybe this may not be so painful (except for price).
I would happily pay $2 for 24hrs, but $4; well, the library offering better be pretty rich...
I'm cheap and agree with most everybody else here.
I would rather spend 20 minutes picking up a DVD at Hollywood video, then waiting 3 hours for a download, BUT...
What drives me nuts about the brick & mortar video stores is their limited inventory.
New releases are always checked out AND
Classic obscure titles aren't stocked because the turn over is too slow to pay for shelf space.
I don't subscribe to Netflix, but I would assume Netflix can handle the obscure titles, but they can't provide "instant gratification"
If iTunes movie rentals can play as they download and sync up to Apple TV, then maybe this may not be so painful (except for price).
I would happily pay $2 for 24hrs, but $4; well, the library offering better be pretty rich...
If it's indeed $3.99 for 24hrs then this better not be the 'One more thing...' Wouldn't want to end the keynote with a collective groan from the audience.
Now where's that ultra thin MBP!?
Now where's that ultra thin MBP!?
Hmm. Not having a car sucks. I can see that being a compelling argument in major downtown areas (NYC, downtown Boston or Chicago, etc), and in college dorms. And I suppose the impulsive-viewing insomniac crowd isn't left with many options.
Is that the sole market here? Because, I can tell you, there's the whole rest of the US which has access to vehicles and corner video stores (which at least in my area pretty much never run out of videos). There, the competition is cheap, convenient access to physical media, and $4 for a very short-term rental just does not compete.
And, again, how will it compete in a world where the price is the same as VOD, the selection is presumably the same (I don't use cable's VOD services either so I can't say there), and the convenience is no better? PLUS it requires a separately-purchased device
apple:TV) to view on something besides your computer screen?What is the consumer need this meets?
The attitudes here are incredible. "It doesn't meet my needs so it is doomed to fail." How arrogant people must be to believe everyone else's habits must match their own.
- many people can watch a movie in less than 24 hours.
- many people find going to the video store inconvenient, no matter how close it is
- many people don't like the waiting required by Netflix, and that is if they want to rent two movies in a month
- many people don't have HD DVDs so don't require HD movies
This service is not for everyone, granted. But to say it is doomed is a bit premature.
- many people can watch a movie in less than 24 hours.
- many people find going to the video store inconvenient, no matter how close it is
- many people don't like the waiting required by Netflix, and that is if they want to rent two movies in a month
- many people don't have HD DVDs so don't require HD movies
This service is not for everyone, granted. But to say it is doomed is a bit premature.
My Mac IS my TV. No need for AppleTV. I ditched my TV when I got my 24" iMac, added EyeTV, and never looked back
I personally believe you are both exceptions and that a majority of people don't have their Macs hooked up to their home theater (audio/video) nor do they use their Macs as their only TV.
The way I see it, why should I spend $4 for an iTunes rental when I can get VOD from my cable company, through Xbox Live, Netflix, Blockbuster that will all easily work on my HDTV, 7.1 surround system???
If you own an AppleTV this is an option but I think for people like me, there are too many hurdles to overcome in order to use this iTunes rental service.
Also I believe it's 24 hours after you first start the movie...
If it's indeed $3.99 for 24hrs then this better not be the 'One more thing...' Wouldn't want to end the keynote with a collective groan from the audience.
Now where's that ultra thin MBP!?
I would love to see someone throw a tomato or something on stage after the 3.99 announcement.
What about Fancast?
First, there is no substantive proof that the cost will be $4/rental and that the rental period will be 24 hours. It's a moot point until the details are known.
Second, there are many comparisons to Blockbuster/Netflix/VOD, etc. But has anyone heard what Comcast is up to? Comcast with 25 million subscribers is already connected to people's TVs. And now they have fancast.com, a website that offers (currently) limited TV shows and movies. They plan to expand these offerings to include essentially *any* content that they can get their hands on. It should be noted that Comcast is the largest purchaser of content worldwide.
What's more, the fancast.com site promises to interact with your DVR. Let's say you are traveling and want to set a show to record. You'll be able to do it directly through the website. Further, Comcast has higher speed broadband in the works that they are rolling out to millions of homes this year that will make it actually feasible to download, say, a movie in a reasonable time.
I'd love to see Apple succeed at this venture. But more so, I'd like to see the technology become better AND cheaper. There are many players rushing into the game. I'm not certain shoehorning movie rentals into iTunes is going to be a wonder hit unless there is some other catch.
Note: I'm not affiliated with Comcast but I've been reading about them a bit recently. Seems Wall Street is skeptical of them since they're subscriber share isn't really growing much anymore. IE people are looking for innovation...
First, there is no substantive proof that the cost will be $4/rental and that the rental period will be 24 hours. It's a moot point until the details are known.
Second, there are many comparisons to Blockbuster/Netflix/VOD, etc. But has anyone heard what Comcast is up to? Comcast with 25 million subscribers is already connected to people's TVs. And now they have fancast.com, a website that offers (currently) limited TV shows and movies. They plan to expand these offerings to include essentially *any* content that they can get their hands on. It should be noted that Comcast is the largest purchaser of content worldwide.
What's more, the fancast.com site promises to interact with your DVR. Let's say you are traveling and want to set a show to record. You'll be able to do it directly through the website. Further, Comcast has higher speed broadband in the works that they are rolling out to millions of homes this year that will make it actually feasible to download, say, a movie in a reasonable time.
I'd love to see Apple succeed at this venture. But more so, I'd like to see the technology become better AND cheaper. There are many players rushing into the game. I'm not certain shoehorning movie rentals into iTunes is going to be a wonder hit unless there is some other catch.
Note: I'm not affiliated with Comcast but I've been reading about them a bit recently. Seems Wall Street is skeptical of them since they're subscriber share isn't really growing much anymore. IE people are looking for innovation...
True but Comcast and cable companies also offer premium channels on demand in HD. i.e. If you have HBO/MAX/SHO/STRZ already you can watch any movies/content from them on demand and quite a few of it is in HD.
We have Netflix for new movies and for impulse moments, we just browse the premium channel catalog on Comcast and watch something FOR FREE! (not including the monthly cable bill I pay anyway).
Are you suggesting that most of the population lives in walking distance from a RedBox, doesn't care about weather, and doesn't mind RedBox's minimal selection?
I live in a major city, and would sometimes use RedBox if there was one really close. But there isn't.I take ALL of these details--even the very existence of rentals--until they are official. But meanwhile, many people make the mistake of assuming that THEIR needs/wants are exactly the same as everyone else's. For example, while I do hope Apple persuades the content owners to ditch the 24-hour limit, I still think the venture can succeed even if they lose the half-hour-a-day commuter movie market.
I don't want subscriptions (neither online nor Netflix-style). But that doesn't mean subscriptions shouldn't exist and are doomed. I don't speak for the whole market. Why do people who don't want iTunes rentals (which I DO want) assume that they speak for the whole market?
I look forward to Netflix's download service improving one day. That, or per-movie rentals, might bring me back to Netflix. In the meantime, though, Netflix's selection for downloads is limited (as iTunes will likely also be for the timing being). It's nowhere near their whole library. And it's Microsoft-based and incompatible with Macs. (I'm aware that may change, and I hope it does.)
And again, don't assume your wants are the same as everyone's. Some people, sometimes, want to watch a movie NOW. Mail doesn't provide that.
Netflix is a great option. So is RedBox. So are local video stores and libraries. So are PPV and VOD. So are Microsoft-based download services. So are street jugglers.
We don't have to give those up--and Apple doesn't have to drive them out of business--in order for iTunes downloads to be a nice option that many people WILL appreciate having.
Apple's rental model...
...appears to be the exact same thing as Amazon's Unbox:
"When you choose to rent an Amazon Unbox video, your access to view the file is limited by the rental license agreement in our Unbox Video: Terms of Use. After you rent and download an Amazon Unbox Video to a compatible computer or TiVo DVR, you will have a limited period of time in which to begin viewing it. That period is 30 days unless otherwise specified on the product detail page for the Unbox Video rental. After you begin playing an Amazon Unbox Video, you will have 24 hours to complete viewing it. After these expiration times, the Amazon Unbox Video will automatically be deleted from your computer or TiVo DVR. Rented Unbox videos are not available for re-download from Your Media Library."
What is the difference between renting and purchasing Unbox videos?
Amazon's pricing is generally $3.99 per movie (some are $2.99).
So, it's no surprise that Apple is following this approach.
--DotComCTO
...appears to be the exact same thing as Amazon's Unbox:
"When you choose to rent an Amazon Unbox video, your access to view the file is limited by the rental license agreement in our Unbox Video: Terms of Use. After you rent and download an Amazon Unbox Video to a compatible computer or TiVo DVR, you will have a limited period of time in which to begin viewing it. That period is 30 days unless otherwise specified on the product detail page for the Unbox Video rental. After you begin playing an Amazon Unbox Video, you will have 24 hours to complete viewing it. After these expiration times, the Amazon Unbox Video will automatically be deleted from your computer or TiVo DVR. Rented Unbox videos are not available for re-download from Your Media Library."
What is the difference between renting and purchasing Unbox videos?
Amazon's pricing is generally $3.99 per movie (some are $2.99).
So, it's no surprise that Apple is following this approach.
--DotComCTO
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I think this is a good thing too.
However the proposed service as I understand the description it doesn't bode well for all the reasons many in here have pointed out.
At least it's a start and knowing Apple, they will make it work really well over time, unless the plug gets pulled for some reason. iTunes is an excellent way to shop for movies - better than Blockbuster because you can watch a trailer or clip before you buy.
I would love to be able to simply rent a high definition movie (not sub-DVD resolution) and keep it for a few days. I'd also like the option to buy the movie. And I'd like a competitive price and not have to wait 5 hours for it to download.
This service as it is isn't ready for prime time. But it's promising.
However the proposed service as I understand the description it doesn't bode well for all the reasons many in here have pointed out.
At least it's a start and knowing Apple, they will make it work really well over time, unless the plug gets pulled for some reason. iTunes is an excellent way to shop for movies - better than Blockbuster because you can watch a trailer or clip before you buy.
I would love to be able to simply rent a high definition movie (not sub-DVD resolution) and keep it for a few days. I'd also like the option to buy the movie. And I'd like a competitive price and not have to wait 5 hours for it to download.
This service as it is isn't ready for prime time. But it's promising.
The sole market? Nah. What about if you want a title that iTunes has but none of your local stores have in stock?
And, again, how will it compete in a world where the price is the same as VOD, the selection is presumably the same (I don't use cable's VOD services either so I can't say there), and the convenience is no better? PLUS it requires a separately-purchased device
Because the selection has the potential to be better, and you can't get VOD if you don't have cable. And while it does require another device to watch on a TV, that device can be an iPod. Apple sold a few of those, didn't they?
The way I see it, why should I spend $$$ every month on cable when I can get a rental from iTunes for $4? Just playing devil's advocate. And as for aTV, see the iPod mention above...
Yes, we're the exception (I don't even have cable--it's a rip-off). As are you, with your Xbox Live movie habits and 7.1 surround. We who are discussing this rumor have all kinds of setups and habits that are not "majority." But for people who are NOT like you (or me for that matter), there will often be an answer for "why should I spend $4 for an iTunes rental." Convenience. Which means getting it now, or getting it on their laptop, or getting it on their iPod, or getting it with Apple-style quick-search ease, or getting it on their Mac and free of Microsoft, or getting it at ALL, if they don't have those other options you enjoy. You don't need or want this service. Others do. Nothing wrong with either group
I hope your 24-hours-after-start guess is correct. That makes good sense to me.
And since this is the FIRST step, not the last, it doesn't have to appeal to everyone, nor the majority of people. (iTunes music downloads sure didn't, and that was a success.) It just has to provide a useful enough option to enough people to be worth the offering. With Apple ease of use and the iPod link, that sounds easy to achieve, to me. And it will improve from there.
Some of these people said the same thing about the "iPod" before it was even released.
And then also said who needs WiFi, internet access and movies, tv shows on an iPod.
Same people said that a shuffle without a screen would spell doom for Apple.
People always overreact.
Wait, wait a sec. You're suggesting using an iPod to watch iTunes Rentals on your home theater in lieu of AppleTV??? That'll be great, why didn't I think of that? After iTunes finishes compressing the movie down to fit the iPod screen and then your iPod outputs it at 480i or 480p with stereo audio!!! Totally worth it.
From Apple's site: http://store.apple.com/1-800-MY-APPLE/WebObjects/AppleStore?productLearnMore=MB128LL/A
"Note: Component video output to television is supported by iPod nano (third generation) and iPod classic at 480p or 576p resolution, and by iPod touch and iPhone at 480i or 576i resolution."