WWDC rumors: new nanos, iTMS movie rentals?

As if the Apple rumor mill wasn't peppy enough on the off days, things are really getting moving now that their Worldwide Developers Conference is mere weeks away. Some flavor of Mac Pro seems a shoo-in, but Think Secret has some dirt on the iTunes Music Store and iPod nano, which they think are due for some keynote love as well. On the iTunes front, the word is that Steve Jobs will announce movie rentals for the store, with titles coming from Walt Disney, Universal Studios, Paramount Pictures, and Warner Bros. -- with more on the way. While a significant move, this marks a bit of a defeat for Jobs, who was purportedly going for mirroring music model with a-la-carte movie purchases, instead of having the file expire after a specific time or number of viewings. We're not sure which rental method Apple will go for, but the movie industry types seem pretty smug about their victory in the matter. As for the iPod, Think Secret's insiders are reporting that the second-gen nano is on the way, which should come in 6-8GB capacities, and feature multiple colors, including that metal alloy enclosure we were hearing about. Otherwise, the new nano shouldn't be much of a departure from the current offering. Rumblings of 40GB and 80GB 5G iPods are also making the rounds, with that 6G being delayed into 2007, but Think Secret doesn't expect anything for the WWDC.

Read - iTMS movie rentals
Read - Second-gen iPod nano

[Jon Himself @ Jul 18th 2006 11:09AM]

I think I'd be ok with movie rentals... music rentals, no.. movie rentals, why not? If it's quick it would save me a trip to the store (assuming quality is ok).. of course none of this really matters because I don't like in the US and it won't affect me in any way.

[Jon Himself @ Jul 18th 2006 11:12AM]

Don't LIVE in the US... sorry about that, I do LIKE the US but I don;t LIVE there...

[Andy S. @ Jul 18th 2006 11:14AM]

Yeah, well, we'll see. ThinkSecret's batting average isn't too hot.

[Raider @ Jul 18th 2006 11:16AM]

And how often is Think Secret actually correct on their predictions? .........
Exactly

[Dan Dickinson @ Jul 18th 2006 11:17AM]

Oh, of course, new nanos! And iTMS rentals! That makes perfect sense for a *developer conference*.

[Joel @ Jul 18th 2006 11:18AM]

I think movie rentals work for me as well. Really, how many times do you watch a movie? If you watch it once a year, $15 to buy verses $3-5 to rent still comes out better on the rent side if you account for the time value of money.

[Matt @ Jul 18th 2006 11:41AM]

I would love to see certain high end Apple software products be sold for a monthly fee - the idea being that the consumer would get some kind of security code that allows the program to work and if they don't pay the balance for that month they don't get to use the product???

-Matt

[Chris @ Jul 18th 2006 11:51AM]

Movie rentals is stupid. How do you get it to your HDTV and surround system if it's a rental? Can't copy it to a DVD because that would kill all the DRM stuff.

[milas @ Jul 18th 2006 12:02PM]

New Nanos aren't really out of the question. Apple has had their free/discounted Nano offer for students purchasing computers for several months now. Sounds like a good way to clear out the stock since once Apple intros a new product they completely drop the old one.

[Kyle K. @ Jul 18th 2006 12:05PM]

What are the chances that they'll announce a new MacBook Pro (new case design and Core 2 Duos)? I'm trying to decide if it's better to buy one now or wait until this fall. (I'm a college student)

[cycomachead @ Jul 18th 2006 12:05PM]

um hello!!!
there won't be time for this in the keynote (unless it's like 24hrs or something)
Dan is wright
Also not "New" nano's either- but maybe a size upgrade
think people!!!!!
the iPods stay around for @ LEAST a year- w/ the exception of the grey screens in the 4th gen- but then it was really the same iPod- and those color screens stayed for about a year

I'm expecting some on the line of Tiger out early if it is something like this
Although I really think Tiger will be out in MWSF 07

[Joel @ Jul 18th 2006 12:29PM]

Chris,

If there is a rental service, they will either expect you to run a mac mini as your media PC, or they will have something similar to the airport express where you can stream the movies from itunes to the TV. In that case, I would imagine a remote with the device on the tv end which would let you browse your itunes collection on the tv. But I think the mini media center solution is the direction they are going.

[Sam @ Jul 18th 2006 12:30PM]

The Core 2 Duos should be out fairly soon but as for a case redesign...I would highly doubt that. I COULD see them adding the magnetic latch and a DL DVD burner to the MBP but thing is already very thin as it is. I really don't expect anything very physically different from today.

[Uncle Jerry @ Jul 18th 2006 12:56PM]

I'll pass on the iRental. If I can't burn it, I don't want it. That's the greatness of Netflix.

[Gordy @ Jul 18th 2006 1:12PM]

Well, according to Apple, the technology just isn't there for a quality movie distribution service for the masses. In the time it'd take to download it, NetFlix could mail you one (Dial-up or DSL), or you could pick it up yourself from the video store (Cable). I don't expect this to happen.

Bring on the Mac Pro.

[Dman @ Jul 18th 2006 1:31PM]

I'd rather skip the video store (cable) and do something more productive in the meantime (social life).

[idude135 @ Jul 18th 2006 2:41PM]

This renting model will not work until Apple has respect for people's standards for movie quality. Apple's offering of QVGA videos is a huge limit to people who want to watch the content on their television sets.

I also think that the expiration date of the content will confuse people who have known that everything on iTunes is forever yours with no strings attached.

It seems it would've been more proper for this service to launch with the full-video iPod, creating more hype and curiosity, but oh well..

The best way to go is to use DVD Shrink or CloneDVD and stick to Netflix until HD-DVD players get cheaper.

[Rex @ Jul 18th 2006 2:48PM]

They'll show a black iMac...and black everything else that isn't black in thier lineup.

[zed @ Jul 18th 2006 3:05PM]

Downloading huge files for a rental? Yeah right.

[IWantTouchScreen @ Jul 18th 2006 4:10PM]

lol IDIOTIC responses around here. As if everyone who gets flicks from Netflix is putting them in a computer and ripping them.

Furthermore, ever heard of blockbuster video, movies on demand from your cable box, movielink? They all operate in the same way.

Reminds me of all the people saying no one would pay 2 dollars for a TV episode.

[astutefool @ Jul 18th 2006 4:25PM]

They predicted ipod nano, ipod with video, macbook and many others. They may well be right.

[nimro @ Jul 18th 2006 5:24PM]

I doubt there will be what TS says. I reckon we're looking at the "Mac Pro" with Core 2 Duos, since they're high-end "developer" machines :)

Oh, and cycomachead... um hello! Tiger is already out and has been for ages... and we already know we're getting a Leopard preview at WWDC.

PS you spelled "psycho" wrong ;)

[cycomachead @ Jul 18th 2006 7:01PM]

I know how to spell psycho!

soory about putting Tiger I meant Lepord

but also Steve is trying to push
download to keep too

@ idude135

yes you are right about the confusion

[paul irwin @ Jul 19th 2006 1:29AM]

people often forget that WWDC is a conference for DEVELOPERS... not for consumers. if they are developing a video ipod and itms movie store, it'll be released at macworld paris in september or so. the only stuff they intro at WWDC is software and hardware for the high-tech crowd... i.e. a Mac Pro would be a reasonable expectation, since a few years ago they intro'd the PowerMac G5 at WWDC. but my bet is on 90% leopard coverage, 10% mac pro (or whatever it ends up being called).

[Jaspy @ Jul 19th 2006 10:59AM]

Quick question, How would apple facilitate 1gig downloads multiplied by the (potential) 1000s who would be doing so each and every day? At what point do bandwidth costs become an issue?

[Harbinger @ Jul 19th 2006 1:09PM]

Engadget's Apple fetish and complete lack of insight toward it, save for their bookmarking of macosrumors and thinksecret, only serves to bait comment hits. How about some "news" about corporate R&D projects, using google might be fun today, rather than the product press releases we've been getting non-stop.

[The Online Music and Movie Rental Myth @ Jul 19th 2006 7:35PM]

"The Online Music and Movie Rental Myth"

According to proponents of this myth, the real road to obscene profits in movies, music, software, and other digital media lies with online subscription rentals, not direct sales. They're wrong, here's why.

http://www.roughlydrafted.com/RD/Home/2994B804-46AE-4367-A4A9-46FAC702CF19.html