Apple, Hollywood go toe-to-toe on movie downloads

Not surprisingly, Apple is facing heat from Hollywood companies that want to sell their movies on iTunes, but don't want to play by all of Apple's rules. The big issue is whether or not Apple will restrict the number of devices that can play a film bought from iTunes; Universal, 20th Century Fox, Paramount and Warner Bros. are rightfully concerned with rampant digital piracy and how iTunes might help inadvertently contribute to that. Of course, Hollywood could go the Wal-Mart or Amazon Unbox route if Apple won't back down, but then those studios would miss out on some of that big Apple halo action. Still, if Disney and the soon-to-be-added Lions Gate are already at the iTunes party, it seems unlikely that the rest of Hollywood could stay away much longer.

[Via Apple Insider]

[Gordy @ Nov 30th 2006 11:38AM]

AFAIK... DRM on iTunes movies hasn't been broken yet.

iTunes movies are only playable on authorized Macs and associated iPods. It's not like in the windows world, where there are a myriad of devices to consider. Sounds like the studios just need to be educated.

No bother...I bet nothing changes, and the other studios clamor to iTunes once Steve announces some Disney download stats at MWSF.

[mcloki @ Nov 30th 2006 11:41AM]

What are the stats on Unbox?

[Mrfreezie @ Nov 30th 2006 11:49AM]

That's good Apple, don't let Hollywood push you around.

[Gordy @ Nov 30th 2006 12:13PM]

And authorized PCs...I forget about PCs...

[Barry @ Nov 30th 2006 12:25PM]

Disney is selling like mad on the iTunes store. I'm sure shareholders for the other studios will be asking "Why the hell aren't we getting in on this?!" if they aren't already.

[Mike D @ Nov 30th 2006 1:25PM]

I refuse to buy drmed content until there is a way to easily take it to a friends house (IN THE HIGHEST RESOLUTION AVAILABLE) and if a friend wants to borrow it.. let them.. you know.. like DVD's

[Louis @ Nov 30th 2006 10:32PM]

You mean load it on an iPod and let your friend borrow your iPod?

I know, you mean burn it to a CD/DVD and give it to them... which you can.

But then your friend would need to either load it onto their iPod or authorize their computer to play it too...

[Jason W @ Nov 30th 2006 1:49PM]

the installed base of video ipod users is WAY too big too ignore. every fifth person has one on the train ride home - you just can't ignore that if you're a movie exec.

[Shawn O @ Nov 30th 2006 2:26PM]

I just love how blind the studios are though, this shows exactly how much they just don't "get" the digital age.

They are worried that people *may* break the DRM on the iTunes videos yet are completely forgetting that people can already buy a single copy of a DVD, rip it at high quality and then pirate the hell out of it.

If they made it easy and cheap to download movies people may be willing to put up with some form DRM. Make digital distribution more cumbersome and expensive though and people will continue to just buy the physical media which has no DRM and torrent that rip with their 2000 closest peers.

That is the greatest irony, that the media the studios prefer, a physical CD/DVD, is the easiest to pirate.

[z @ Nov 30th 2006 3:48PM]

Exactly. Seems the major studios don't understand it quite right yet.. ;-)

[Jeff @ Nov 30th 2006 4:52PM]

All the pirated movies I download come from DVD screeners or leaked retail copies of the DVD. iTunes video is pretty low-res, I don't see it really being a target of piracy, even the casual sort.

[Bootes @ Dec 3rd 2006 2:24PM]

As long as the movies are still released on DVD who even cares if the DRM on iTunes downloads can be broken?

[floridarocs @ Dec 15th 2006 4:38PM]

Gordy....you can use an iPod on Windows too...you do know this right? The issue here though from my understanding is that if you and I have iPods and you've bought the movie, all I have to do is bring my iPod to your computer...sync with iTunes, and wala. My understanding is there is either a) no limit or b) a _very_ liberal limit on the number of devices

all this being said...i don't own an iPod..