Amazon "Unbox" download service due to launch today?

The word is out on Amazon's movie download service. After plenty of rumorings, it doesn't look like Amazon will be able to keep mum on the subject for long, since they're expected to launch "Unbox" today. The word on prices isn't exactly wonderful: rentals should go for about 4 bucks, while permanent downloads are hovering at $15. TV shows are matching the $2 iTunes pricepoint, and should be available the day after they air. As for studios, Amazon is purported to have Warner Bros., Fox, Paramount, MGM, Lionsgate, Sony and Universal all signed up, but Disney is said to be holding out for iTunes at this point. Picture quality is supposed to be DVD-ish, and videos will be playable in Amazon's Windows-only Unbox player (pictured), or on your TV or portable device. So far the amazon.com/unbox URL is redirecting to a plain-vanilla DVD page, but if all this word on the street proves true we should be seeing it up in the next few hours.

Read - Unbox rumor roundup
Read - Unbox screenshots
Read - Amazon.com/unbox (not yet live)

[AUA @ Sep 7th 2006 12:41PM]

Suprise Suprise. No shipping, manufacturing, packaging costs - - no paying for keeping the lights on in the stores they're sold in - - none of ANY of that.

And yet the price is still exactly the same.
Hmm.

[AUA @ Sep 7th 2006 12:41PM]

Suprise Suprise. No shipping, manufacturing, packaging costs - - no paying for keeping the lights on in the stores they're sold in - - none of ANY of that.

And yet the price is still exactly the same.
Hmm.

[Ben @ Sep 7th 2006 12:46PM]

I don't get paying more for new releases. At Best Buy new releases are usually 9.99 - 12.99.

The price and the fact that I can't play it on any of my macs makes me yawn at this.

If they offered something new such as HD quality I may look into it, but I doubt we'll be seeing HD quality downloads anytime soon.

[Silver @ Sep 7th 2006 12:48PM]

Windows only? What a shocker.

And I agree with AUA - it's a bad joke that digitally-downloaded media should be priced equivalently to physical media you buy at retail.

I'm inclined to just stop buying either format.

[DrThaddeusVenture @ Sep 7th 2006 12:51PM]

What, am I made of money? Nobody can seem to keep the price of file downloads low enough for a struggling single father scientist to afford.

And what is the deal with TV shows being $2? Maybe for a DL before or even same time as shown on TV but seriously day after shouldn't be more than $.50.

[Markus Winter @ Sep 7th 2006 12:55PM]

"Unbox" ???

I thought it couldn't get worse than "Zune" but I was wrong ...

[CharlieX @ Sep 7th 2006 12:58PM]

Far, far, far too expensive for "DVD-ish". Like Ben said, you'd get more for your money at Best Buy.

[Zo @ Sep 7th 2006 1:00PM]

I'm surprise that MTV has not done something with Music Videos. I hate watching MTV and having them decide which videos/music they want to play. Seems like MTV would have something where you setup a Music Video playlist and you stream and watch what you want in the order you want -- Heck, what happened to interactive channels -- why can I have custom MTV?

Anyway, good luck to Amazon. Many analysts on the street have called it DOA because of the general lack of affordable broadband in the US.

[glacia00 @ Sep 7th 2006 1:11PM]

I haven't bought a single piece of media online for just this reason. Why is it all more expensive than what it's trying to replace??

$1 for a song, nonsense
$15 for a movie, ridiculous
$2 for a TV rerun, braindead

And seriously does anybody even care what the service is called?? If they had a reasonable price they could call it "Inflamed Colon" for all I care.

[Jeff @ Sep 7th 2006 1:24PM]

Netflix has nothing to worry about.

I find it really funny that with all the talk of downloading sites like iTunes and Amazon, nobody ever even seem to think of Netflix - even though they're the 800lb gorilla in the room. They've got more monthly subscribers than have ever purchased anything on iTunes. They've got a bigger selection of movies than Amazon. And they're in no rush to do downloads.

You can bet that when the environment is right, and they can get the terms that they want, then they'll start doing downloads. And they'll do downloads right, just as they have with DVD rentals.

I am waiting for that day. Until then, all these other services - no matter how large the company behind them - are just pretenders.

[Justin @ Sep 7th 2006 1:37PM]

The reason I-tunes songs work is because there's really no other way to buy a single song. And $9.99 for an album is still cheaper than buying it in the store. (which is why I buy music)

But yeah, the movie thing I don't get. I don't buy movies like I buy songs. I rent movies. And I rent about 6 of them a month from Netflix for $12.99.

I think the film industry is in for a rough couple of years.

[Bodie @ Sep 7th 2006 1:47PM]

If Amazon can figure out the licensing, then the on-again-off-again Tivo/Netflix partnership should be able to figure it out.

Tivo + Netflix = teh Win!

[Goodman @ Sep 7th 2006 1:49PM]

>Anyway, good luck to Amazon. Many analysts on the street have called it DOA because of the general lack of affordable broadband in the US.

Er... last I heard, US broadband penetration was over 68% among active Internet users.

Me, I can't see buying a movie this way, but I could definitely see RENTING a movie this way, or buying a TV show. The cost for a rental is roughly what you'd pay from a store, but without two car trips. (I love me my Netflix, but sometimes you want to see something spur of the moment). As for TV, I don't want to pay big bucks for a huge cable package just to watch Battlestar Galactica. Much cheaper to just buy them online (and again on DVD when they come out later). I'm certainly not going to diss the producers of a show I love by bittorenting them. I'm glad the picture quality looks to be much nicer than what's being offered on iTunes.

[Andrew @ Sep 7th 2006 2:18PM]

@ goodman

I don't know about your internet connection but now many DVD quality movies are downloadable at the "Spur of the moment"

[Goodman @ Sep 7th 2006 2:22PM]

Good point.

[Andrew @ Sep 7th 2006 2:23PM]

Not....Not downloadable at the spur of the moment.

I have FFS - Fat Finger Syndrome

[Dave @ Sep 7th 2006 2:30PM]

I'm getting a redirect to a random DVD sales page

[Gary Brinkman @ Sep 7th 2006 3:00PM]

Try this cached google seach. You can see what movies/shows they have for downloading and the cost.

http://72.14.209.104/search?q=cache:9OrBsXYjfxgJ:www.amazon.com/b/%3Fie%3DUTF8%26node%3D16263011+unbox+site:amazon.com&hl=en&gl=us&ct=clnk&cd=1&client=firefox-a

[Jake @ Sep 7th 2006 3:52PM]

Suprise Suprise. No shipping, manufacturing, packaging costs - - no paying for keeping the lights on in the stores they're sold in - - none of ANY of that.

And yet the price is still exactly the same.
Hmm.

[Anonymous Coward @ Sep 7th 2006 4:27PM]

To the person who said there was no other way to download single song files except iTunes:

AllOfMP3.com

$0.02 per megabyte, $10 top up purchases, based in Russia or something, large library, excellent features (free 30 second radio quality preview, 90 second radio quality preview if you've registered, full song radio preview after you've topped up more than $50.00)

I have nothing to do with the site, but since I've found it, and seen that I can download in any format and quality I want (for the most part) and it's not DRM'ed, not to mention its tons cheaper, I use it everytime I want a song I've heard on the radio.

Sure, it doesn't have everything. In that case, pay $0.99 for the song that iTunes probably has. But if they have it, you pay on average $0.08 per song, or about $1.50 for a full album and lose the DRM in the meantime.

[William Spaetzel @ Sep 7th 2006 4:39PM]

I just checked the site and it is live. You can buy all sorts of different videos. looks like the price of a movie is $14

[Menhir @ Sep 7th 2006 4:39PM]

It's now open! Offering one free TV show as well!

http://www.amazon.com/b/?&node=16261631

[bobrocks @ Sep 7th 2006 5:06PM]

it's live.

yay!

[Michael @ Sep 7th 2006 5:12PM]

Alright the rental idea is pretty cool. Especially since I never seem to be able to return my movies on time and late fees always build. I also don't like the idea of netflix. When I get it in my mind to rent a movie I want to rent it and watch it that day.
So this is nice for that, but... their rental selection doesn't seem to be the same as their purchase selection. I would think that if you could buy it you could also rent it, but that doesn't seem to be the case. The prices are also all over the place. Some of their movies to be bought are as high as $20, F-that.

[the other steve jobs @ Sep 7th 2006 6:33PM]

Can I use Amazon Unbox on my Macintosh or iPod?

No. Apple Computer Inc. has exclusive rights to the hardware and software that would make this possible. Because of these restrictions, we are unable to make Amazon Unbox compatible with these products. While it is possible to run one of the approved operating systems on computers made by Apple, we cannot guarantee the performace of Amazon Unbox on these systems.

What is apple doing to prevent Microsoft from putting out a Mac OS X version of Windows Media Player that handles DRM'd files?

Oh yeah - NOTHING.

Thanks for the nice lie, Amazon... so much for my business.

[Jake @ Sep 7th 2006 6:42PM]

$35.99 for Do the Right Thing? Yikes!

Why on earth would anyone go through all this hassle for a slow download, worse-than-DVD quality video, a mess of technological hoops to jump through, and no easy way to store "your" bought movies?

[Mr Wave Theory @ Sep 7th 2006 7:04PM]

Amazon has finally done it right. Took advantage of the free download. I tried the service and it was blazing fast.

http://mrwavetheory.blogspot.com/2006/09/watch-free-tv-show-at-amazon-unbox.html

[Kilarney @ Sep 7th 2006 7:32PM]

I currently subscribe to Netflix. I get two movies per month for $6.99, with no hidden fees.
Amazon wants to charge MORE for rentals? Uh... I don't think so.

It seems that movie industry is taking a lead from the recording industry. Both have set their prices way too high.

[Paul @ Sep 7th 2006 8:13PM]

I also subscribe to netflix and have no idea what the big deal is with the Amazon unbox. I think itunes has a nice limited appeal simply for ease of use and convenience to put in your video ipod.

However, why would I change my $17.99/month Netflix subscription, which mails me a PHYSICAL DVD for this?

Can't see it happening.

[Tom @ Sep 7th 2006 8:16PM]

Rumor Has It
Price: $19.62

24 "1:00 A.M. - 2:00 A.M."
Price: $1.99

Is anyone else appalled by the fact that Jennifer Aniston costs ten times more than Kiefer Sutherland?

[Markcus @ Sep 9th 2006 2:12PM]

What I would like is something like Netflix that allows you to download a set number of movies for a fixed monthly fee.

I have a DVR so I would never buy a tv episode (I'm already paying for it).

Big thumbs down for Amazon.

[skip jack @ Sep 9th 2006 5:04PM]

Has anyone tried this service? I did, unbox kept freezing when I tried to start the movie(rental purchase), and when I go to the troubleshoot section and run the diagnostics, it erases my download progress. Got so fed up I tried to uninstall it, but wait? That doesn't even work, keeps launching Unbox so I can't uninstall. What a nightmare, think I'll stick with Netflix....

[Nathan M @ Sep 9th 2006 8:11PM]

Anonymous Coward: Correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't AllofMP3.com is also illegal in America?