Apple iTunes to compete "day-and-date" with DVD releases -- Wal-Mart weeps (now official)
By Thomas Ricker 
posted May 1st 2008 8:33AM
posted May 1st 2008 8:33AM
Hollywood Reporter says that Apple is expected to announce today an across-the-board deal to sell new release films at its iTunes Store. The deal is said to allow Apple to offer a "broad slate of top-shelf films" day-and-date with home video releases -- a long time sticking point with brick-and-mortar interests who want to keep their early-release edge on digital downloads. The deal includes Fox, Walt Disney Studios, Warner Bros., Paramount, Universal, Sony Pictures, Lionsgate, New Line and more -- all of which are currently inked to deliver rentals through iTunes. MGM is not part of the deal. That puts Apple in direct competition with Wal-Mart's DVD empire after having pushed Wal-Mart from the top spot in music sales for the first two months of the year.Update: It's official. New releases will cost $15 and catalog titles will cost $10 -- US only for now. Full press release after the break.
CUPERTINO, Calif., May 1 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Apple(R) today announced that new movie releases from major film studios and premier independent studios are available for purchase on the iTunes(R) Store (http://www.itunes.com) on the same day as their DVD release. New releases and catalog titles will be available from 20th Century Fox, The Walt Disney Studios, Warner Bros., Paramount Pictures, Universal Studios Home Entertainment, Sony Pictures Entertainment, Lionsgate, Image Entertainment and First Look Studios. Movies purchased from iTunes can be viewed on an iPod(R) with video, iPhone(TM), Mac(R) or PC or on a widescreen TV with Apple TV(R), with new releases priced at $14.99 and most catalog titles at $9.99.
"We're thrilled to bring iTunes Store customers new films for purchase day-and-date with the DVD release," said Eddy Cue, Apple's vice president of iTunes. "We think movie fans will love being able to buy their favorites from major and independent studios."
New releases available for purchase on the iTunes Store this week, concurrent with their DVD release, include "American Gangster" and "The Diving Bell and the Butterfly." Other popular titles now available for purchase include "Juno," "Cloverfield," "I Am Legend," "There Will Be Blood," "Alvin and the Chipmunks" and "Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story."
The iTunes Store is the world's most popular online music, TV and movie store with a catalog of over six million songs, 600 TV shows and over 1,500 films including 200 in stunning high definition video. With Apple's legendary ease of use, pioneering features such as new iTunes Movie Rentals, integrated podcasting support, iMix playlist sharing, the ability to turn previously purchased tracks into complete albums at a reduced price, and seamless integration with iPod and iPhone, the iTunes Store is the best way for Mac and PC users to legally discover, purchase and download music and video online.
Pricing & Availability
Movie purchases and rentals from the iTunes Store for Mac or Windows require iTunes 7.6.2, available as a free download immediately from http://www.itunes.com. iTunes movie purchases and rentals require a valid credit card with a billing address in the country of purchase. iTunes Movies are available in the US only and are $9.99 (US) for library title purchases and $14.99 (US) for new release purchases and $2.99 (US) for library title rentals and $3.99 (US) for new release rentals, and high definition rental versions are priced just one dollar more with library title rentals at $3.99 (US) and new release rentals at $4.99 (US). Short films are available to rent for 99 cents (US). Movies can be previewed, purchased and watched on iPod classic, iPod nano with video, iPod touch, iPhone and on a widescreen TV with Apple TV.
Apple ignited the personal computer revolution in the 1970s with the Apple II and reinvented the personal computer in the 1980s with the Macintosh. Today, Apple continues to lead the industry in innovation with its award-winning computers, OS X operating system and iLife and professional applications. Apple is also spearheading the digital media revolution with its iPod portable music and video players and iTunes online store, and has entered the mobile phone market with its revolutionary iPhone.
(C) 2008 Apple Inc. All rights reserved. Apple, the Apple logo, Mac, Mac OS, Macintosh, iTunes, iPod, iPhone and Apple TV are trademarks of Apple. Other company and product names may be trademarks of their respective owners.
If the reports are true, thats terrific. iTunes ever growing library is clearly the choice for digital content purchases for all consumers. Lets hope this news is true and not a rumor.
@Jubei, while your opinion is valid, I disagree.
1. Number ONE reason why it's bad - iTunes still has DRM in a vast majority of music, despite Jobs' "frustrations" about Fairplay! Do you want to buy music that has handcuffs to the iPod/iPhone all your life?
2. Hard Copy music stores are much more scarce, meaning there is a lack of a personal touch. Even places like Borders or Wal-Mart, the selection is lower that it used to be.
3. Digital music may take up less clutter, but then you run into potential problems as well - accidental deletion, need to back up on additional discs, and a lossy quality (CD's have the best quality)
4. (Personally), it feels more real to buy something you can see, feel, and touch.
5. Digital music is a cause and effect of a bad economy just within the lack of availability of music stores.
Because of this, I'm hoping music stores would get back into business. I don't want the CD to die out!
Digital downloads are better for the environment.
Also, indie internet outlets can still vend music in MP3 format and it will be compatible with iTunes sans DRM.
Those are good points. It's unfortunate that we have to deal with DRM.
Yes there are ways to circumvent the locks placed on these files or convert to your preferred format and player.
The future points to all digital media for consumers.
What I'm trying to expound is that iTunes with its vast library is clearly the choice to purchase your content legally.
Uhm, I don't know if you have heard of a little thing called Amazon MP3, but it is clearly the premier choice, at least for music. Often higher quality, often cheaper than iTunes, no DRM, and Amazon's unobtrusive downloader slickly downloads the track and adds it to your iTunes library (or WMP) faster than downloads straight from iTMS. (strange, but true).
@Jubei: "clearly the choice for digital content purchases for all consumers"
Speak for yourself, not me. Why would I want this, when I can buy a disk that I can play on many devices and not be restricted with Apple DRM? Why would I want to watch it on the go with a 2.5" iPod when I have a 7" portable DVD player? Why would I want to watch a low bit rate, low resolution video when I have a Blu-Ray/HD DVD player which plays in 1080P on my 52" 1080p LCD? And if it is not available in Blu/HD, I can upscale the DVD with a much better picture. If I want to watch it on a small device, I can rip the disk and use the video on my choice of player - I can use it on my Zune, or I can use it on my iPhone.
For example, I can get No Country For Old Men on DVD (480p), Blu-Ray (1080p and is the version I have), and XBOX (420p or 720p). If get it on iTunes, it is only available at 480p - with a low bit rate. And I can rip the disk versions to any player I wish.
This is not exactly a win for everybody, I know that I will not dump my Blu-Ray/HD/DVD players because you can download a lower resolution version of something on iTunes. From your other posts (like your recent, laughable one about the Zune), I know you love everything Apple and will only use their offerings even if there is something better, but they have a long way to go before it is comparable to other formats. And they need to do a lot to convince me to switch to a vastly inferior format.
Nohone:
Basically what I'm gathering is that you have an obscene amount of money to waste on consumer electronics, yet scoff at the prospect of paying a single penny to buy a movie for your iPod. Got it.
Next!
$14.99 for the SD version of No Country off iTunes (it will be more, but iTunes does not display the purchase price of the HD version)
$229.00 for an Apple TV (required to buy the HD version)
$1099.00 for the cheapest Mac - with a 13 inch screen (required to watch the movie)
-------------
$1342.99
$21.95 for a HD version of No Country from Amazon
$1299 for a Philips 47" 1080p LCD from Costco
$379.99 for a Sony Blu-Ray player at Costco
--------------
$1700.90
A difference of $357.95. Yes, that is a bit more. However, for somebody that is part of a group that continously professes that you should pay more for the "quality" of Apple products, I find it a bit disingenuous of you saying that you would not want to pay $357.95 more for the higher quality (480 vs 1080p, at a higher bit rate) on a much larger display.
But then, you just proved the dirty little "secret" that everybody knows. When Apple fans say that you should spend a little more for the better "quality" provided by Apple products (not my assertion, but just repeating their party line), that is not true. It is all about owning the Apple logo, and nothing more. Why not spend a little more for a vastly improved video experience? But you will not, because it does not have an Apple logo on it, and so you would rather have a poorer experience.
While I'll admit to skepticism, if Jobs allows us to BUY the movie and then BURN it to a DVD-player compliant DVD format (MPEG-2 Video_ts filesystem, likely with CSS, yes it would have to be transcoded from the inevitably h.264 Quicktime download format) like the perpetually open music loophole, this will succeed. Caveat: the burned disc had better look just as good as a retail pressed one.
If it's locked down, they'd better be charging WAY less than brick & mortar. Can't take it to a friend's place, can't watch it on the go (well, except on their iPlatform), can't pop it into your home theater setup, and no backup means a lower price or fail.
Nohone: You don't need a Mac to watch the movie, just a computer running iTunes. Since I assume you have a computer, substract those 1000+ Dollar from your arithmetic.
iTunes is not perfect for everyone, I agree, but your arguments are not very persuasive.
Nohone --
"...which plays in 1080P on my 52" 1080p LCD?"
"$1299 for a Philips 47" 1080p LCD from Costco"
BUSTED.
If you accidentally delete a song or movie from you computer with itunes can you re download it without paying? I think thats one of the most important things for a digital content distributer.
@Mahone:
Option 3: Take the first configuration, remove the iMac (I assume you already have a computer, the one you're typing on), and add the 47" HD TV. Cost: $1542 + iTunes HD markup, a savings of around $150 off the Blu-ray setup.
Amazon mp3 is only available in the US so over here in the UK it's either iTunes or Napster, which is equally DRM-ridden. Really bad situation :(
(emusic doesn't have enough choice for my liking..)
In terms of films though, I agree that it's worth getting Blu-Ray instead of itunes. I can't really tell the difference at all between 'lossy' low bit-rate tracks and lossless formats (I've tried, and I want to be able to tell the difference but I can't) but I can tell the massive improvement offered by bluray.
"It is all about owning the Apple logo, and nothing more."
Just keep repeating that to yourself dude, if it makes you sleep better at night. For some of us, its also about using the best products, and the products we enjoy to use.
But if it makes you feel better to lump everyone into your narrow worldview, go for it. :p
@ Josh Warner
"If it's locked down, they'd better be charging WAY less than brick & mortar. Can't take it to a friend's place, can't watch it on the go (well, except on their iPlatform), can't pop it into your home theater setup, and no backup means a lower price or fail."
I agree the price needs to be less than Brick and Mortar, and while right now it is just slightly, it could come down. I'd like to see $5.99 catalog purchases, but we'll see.
As far as taking it to a friend's house, i picked up a $2 cable (from partsexpress) that plugs my ipod into a TV (via RCA; no HD but decent quality) and can watch any of my rentals/purchases on any TV that has RCA inputs (read: all TVs worth using)
When my iPod is my mobile phone (waiting for 2nd gen) then it'd actually be MORE convenient for me to load up the movie on my iPhone and plug that into a TV than it would to carry around a DVD.
The fact that there's DRM does suck, and i wont argue with that, but for the most part, it doesn't impact the convenience (at least hasn't for me)
Also, about backups: you can make as many backups as you want: it's a file in your iTunes library. ...using time machine, i already have a backup of all of my purchases (and everything else) - and i can burn them to a data DVD etc.
...if by "backup" you mean "second or third copy i can give to friends" then yeah.. there's no "backups" but using the literal definition of the word, you certainly can back it up.
Don't get me wrong, i'd love to be able to burn the movies out to DVD and lend them to friends (not really caring if they're ever returned) - but there's not really much incentive for Apple to code that. (Also, CSS is a pretty CPU intensive thing, it's really not yet reasonable to expect home computers to do it. - it's not like burning a CD, or even a non-protected DVD for that matter.)
@Nohone
I'd call you an idiot, but you are obviously just trolling. let me just remove the trolliness out of your post.
$14.99 for the SD version of No Country off iTunes (it will be more, but iTunes does not display the purchase price of the HD version)
$229.00 for an Apple TV (required to buy the HD version)
$0 for the fact you obviously already have a (most likely Windows) PC.
-------------
$243.99
$21.95 for a HD version of No Country from Amazon
$0 (guessing here, but you probably have a HDTV.)
$379.99 for a Sony Blu-Ray player at Costco
--------------
$401.94
A difference of $157.95. In Apple's favor.. Even if you assume the HD version from iTunes will be the same price as a HD Disc, $21.95; it still comes out cheaper. $251.95 v $401.94; a saving of $149.99
You don't need to drive to the store, consuming gas / taking up time. You don't need to order it online, and then have amazon ship it to you / ups consume gas delivering it.
You fire up the AppleTV, find the movie, start the download, go make popcorn then watch it.
Paul has an amazing point.
And good job debunking. I would have, but I was at a programming competition at UCF today. Won 2nd place!
Seriously, ignore the fact that it's a mac, and your problems with the product go away. It's reverse reverse discrimination.
At one point people started to like macs, and think Windows sucked, then the tables are turned. It's a cycle. (But that's not the point)
But the idea for instantaneous entertainment that is not only more convenient, but better for your budget and the environment, is really a good idea.
Sure DRM sucks, but then again, as long as there are hackers, there will always be people who want to get around blocks that "the man" has instilled. Also, don't worry. If people are able to crack physical locks, Bluray codes, and hack into infrastructures, then decoding DRM iTunes video can't be far behind.
Guys, I know there may be problems now with getting content to multiple devices and we haven't worked all the kinks out just yet, but we gotta remember that this isn't about how it is now, it's about how it could and will be. Digital music and movies in an ideal future would work perfectly once the hardware and protocols became ubiquitous, as with cd's for example. You'd have your main wireless network at your house to which all you devices would be connected. If you download a movie from any device (though with convergence I can't imagine you needing too many, but hey nothing's perfect for every situation.) it's automatically backed up and stored on your central storage device. Then if you want to say, send that movie to your ipod, you just select the ipod on the personal area network that all your smaller devices form and boom, there it is. All the devices piggy back on the home network for the net assuming they are not phones, and then, by themselves they form a pan within which you could, as I said, select a device to send your content to, or better yet, just think about it, gesture in it's direction, or tap the two devices together and it's all there. Or maybe the a.i. software in your home network knows how you usually like to do things and already dished it all out. I don't know, I'm not God, ok? The point is give it some time already guys and have some faith! By the way, in this wonderful little future of mine there'd be no drm, just maybe some universal wireless standards for transferring media. Hope that's gonna happen.... yea. I'm a dreamer but I never said I couldn't be pessimistic when it comes to people working together. Machines, sure. People? Meh. Oh, one more thing. Since your home network is connected to the net, and of course it is and this can already be done, you forget your movie and you just dl it in about 5 seconds(ok, not yet) and you are set. DONE!
I think there will still be a majority market for people who want the actual disc (which can be played basically anywhere) as opposed to one download that you need Apple's hardware and/or software to use.
Can someone explain what "day-and-date" is please? sorry I've never heard that term before. Thanks in advance!
It just means the download for the movie will be available the exact same day the film comes out on DVD/Blu-ray.
Are you fucking kidding? Itunes is complete shit...
here here!!
Jealousssssss
yes John, he's jealous of free software............
@BritGuy
Maybe you should explain why you hate iTunes, so people may have a reason to agree or disagree with you.
For me, I like using it to manage my music, but only so long as I choose to keep the iPod. My observations on the problems with it (the store dominating all other stores) you can see in my response to the first post on this page.
Peace
or jealous that he has to pay 1 pound instead of 1 dollar for music.
John... as an American, I am very glad that at least one company is standing up for the dollar. Apple does that not just in iTunes, but in every corner of its market.
people must of not heard of torrents
I'm sure people have heard of it, but that's not really applicable to purchases is it ;)
iTunes is much more realiable and virus free
People must of not heard of honesty.
People must have not heard of grammar.
@flyby: Can you name one torrent that actually has a virus and has stayed active?
Good. Hopefully this will push Microsoft to finally release any form of TV show or movies on their own online Zune store. Not only isn't there HD, but there isn't even any.
Competition is great. I don't think it will be long though.
they do have hd (and arguably better hd through their 360 marketplace)... they have more bitrate in the same 720p content which does look a bit better than what appletv has and i think you will very soon see a similar thing brought to zune (it only makes sense zune will come to 360 and the video downloads will come to zune).
Bitrate, pfft.
Depends on what compression technology you're using people!
I don't think the number of digital movies sold will outnumber physical disc sales anytime soon, but I tell you who really IS weeping:
Blu-Ray, hehehehehehe
Weeping all the way to the bank, I'm sure.
Hey, when Itunes offers a nice HD quality movie with high quality sound and extras... maybe.
And so pushes Apple's monopoly even further.
Whether or not you meant to troll, your comment reads as one... However, I'll bite: What is this monopoly of which you speak? There's nothing stopping other vendors from offering movie downloads.
People should learn the difference between "huge market share" and "monopoly". The latter is a board game.
Will they offer the content in HD?
If so, just 720p?
Hmm....
I think they need to start subsidizing the apply tv..
Sell it for $50 with prepaid movies
I'll continue to just buy my dvd's (and soon blu-rays) and burn them. So I get the best possible quality...without drm.
@ Jesse S
Both DVD and Blu-ray have DRM, however it has been cracked by the likes of Slysoft and their AnyDVD program.
LOL. Enjoy your nodef, DRM laden H.264 downlaods folks.
Wouldn't "nodef" just be a blank screen?
new movies are now already available to own on the itunes store.. most from studios other than disney and MGM, as well.. like dewey cox (sony) and cloverfield (paramont)..
This is true, but a number of them are available for Rent Only, and not for purchases - and vice-versa
Microsoft revoking their own MSN Music Store DRM keys is a perfect reason why it's a bad idea to buy any "owned" DRM content because it's not going to last forever.
If anything, I think that Digital Downloads are great for renting because DRM keys MAKE sense in that situation. You don't want copies to persist forever. But trying to say that you can own bits is a fallacy on both sides of the fence (consumers and content makers).
Hack through whatever DRM gets in your way. It's evil, and mowing over it is your right. Don't let the Man keep you down!
Seriously though, physical copies hurt the environment, and if hacking DRM is the only way you'll go digital, for the sake of our planet, please do it.
I insist on enjoying /all/ my media on my PC, and all my time on my PC in Ubuntu. I'm not going to put up with any crap.
If a law is as broken as it can get, show me the harm in breaking that law. ^_^
This post brought to you from an obscure pacific island nation. *cough*
Mowing over DRM in the US is a federal crime.
US only I take it?
This is great news if you happen to live in one of the few countries iTunes supports the sale of TV and Movie content in. I live in Ireland, have a healthy internet connection and an Apple TV (among other digital media devices) but I can't avail of the iTunes service.
I realize this has to do with copyright laws and distribution agreements, but I still find it very annoying. I also realize that there are ways around this, but I shouldn't have to pony up for an American iTunes gift card on eBay and hope its legitimate and I shouldn't have to spoof my IP address either. And its not just Apple. Amazon, Google and some of the pay-as-you-download legal bit torrents all have the same restrictions. So although I strive to be legal, if I cant buy it in local stores, order it online and have it shipped or download it legally, I will obtain it illegally from a bit torrent site until such time as the content is available to me in another format.
Its a bit off topic for this thread, so I apologize for the rant. But now that there are more Internet users outside the US than inside, it would be nice if some of these download options were implemented in a more universal manner. I realize it will never happen ... but a guy can hope can't he?
This is cool... and any competition helps, but if Apple wants me to spring for DRM-laden files, at least show me the HD, eh?
"top-shelf films" must have a different meaning in the US, but in the UK items on the top-shelf are kept up there to keep them out of reach of minors **nudge-nudge-wink-wink**
Unless it's true and iTunes _is_ going to start selling smut ;-)
Yeah, it mean's the good new releases - put in a location where everyone can see them. The crappier movies are down, away from eye level, on the floor.
Porn is either sold in a completely separate room or a completely separate store. Although, I'm not quite sure who gets it from a store anymore.
In the US, generally "top shelf" means of the highest quality.
I think I like your definition better. :D
To all the whiners & doubters. Digital media is clearly the future. Whether its downloadable movies & music on iTunes, video rentals on AppleTV, streaming content on Netflix, the big networks starting to put all their shows up online for free accessible through web browsers, the tons of HD video sharing services popping up left & right, watching streaming TV or downloaded movies on your portable electronic devices, etc.
Physical media had its moment in the sun, now its time to move on. It happened with music, so its foolish to think it won't happen with video as well.
So either get with it, grandpa or GTF outta the way.
I couldn't agree more.
My question...what freakin' device has a "cover flow" interface and support for a host of my own format conversions?! AppleTV looks great for iTunes purchases but nothing else that I could see under the "My Movies" section.
...and I'm going to have to disagree with you on this.
Digital media may be the future, but not for quite a while. Many people still receive their internet connections over a dial-up connection (like a community in Ohio I've heard of) and there is no practicality in switching to a digital format until the infrastructure is in place to ensure that everybody can get the content.
Hell, I've got broadband and I'd prefer not to wait for a movie download when I could just drive to the store and pick up the movie in 5 minutes.
I don't think it's necessarily the same as for music. People generally watch films in a different way to how they listen to music. Since a film lasts a couple of hours, films stored on a hard disk don't really offer a significant advantage compared to going to a shelf of DVDs and picking one out when you're talking about owning the content. For music, there's the advantage of being able to organise using Media Player/iTunes, creating playlists, etc.
physical media has had it's day? Why the past tense? Vinyl is still being sold today and doesn't look like it will disappear anytime soon. CDs certainly surpassed it but it didn't take away all of its market share. Music purists who swear by the sound of vinyl and DJs don't look to be giving up on the format anytime soon.
Likewise digital downloading is big now - but CDs still sell and so do DVDs even though Blu-Ray is here. Both CDs and DVDs will be around for much longer. At the end of the day, the DRM issue and compatability of wanting one digital format to play on xxxx device will always hinder us since the companies only really care about themselves and not making life easier for us. If iTunes didn't have DRM and wasn't handcuffed to the iPod/iPhone/Apple TV - don't you think it would be a lot more popular? If Apple are selling HD movies at $15 and a Blu-Ray copy can be bought at $20 - then the $5 markup is justified for the physical media/printing etc, but then comparing both movies like for like at $15 - the Blu-Ray is simply a better option when it comes to quality.
lol. Clearly an ex HD-DVD fanboi.
Now lets get it into the UK, then it would make the big brotherism more bearable.
Please apple please!!!!
Finally Apple understands what there customers want. Hurrayyy!!!
I'm pretty sure they knew the whole time, the studios control the movies - not apple.
Argh argh argh DRM low-quality rip-off iTunes sucks argh argh argh....
Look, the iTunes store is what it is. I don't know why people need to complain about it over and over again every time something like this is announced. It is a one-stop solution that is meant to encourage use of Apple products while at the same time providing a variety of content. For many people it is a fine solution, and for many Engadget readers it is an abomination due to the restrictions of DRM. That's fine, but I feel like the righteous indignation gets a bit old. Save it for Boing Boing.
Anyway, I do have to argue strongly with the pricing, particularly when I can walk into a Best Buy and often get a catalog title on DVD on sale for $10 without the restrictions of iTunes DRM. Digital content needs to be cheaper for it to gain greater traction. Songs for $1? No problem when CDs cost over $10 and CD singles are at least $5 (do they even still make those?). But whole movies at the exact same price as the physical counterpart? I'll stick to the rentals, thanks.
No one company should monopolize a distribution channel... especially Apple. There needs to be standardization for digital content distribution so consumers can have a choice.
@ Nahone - you don't need to buy a mac to use purchased movie or rented movie feature, Apple TV is a stand alone product with the capability to sync with a Mac if you want. Having its own network connection and onboard storage allows for this. So you can take the $1099 out of the equation. Most people already have a TV, and if you're tech savvy enough to be worried about HD/SD, then you probably already have a new HD flat panel display, so you can also take that out of the equation too. You can't really include a new HD Tv in the comparison anyway, since it is something that people are going to buy any way, regardless of the means of media delivery.
Eventually, there would most likely be HD versions of the movies to purchase from iTunes. Given that most Blu-ray movies cost almost $30, I don't think that the HD version of the download would cost nearly as much. Plus, prices of Blu-ray players will not come down to the $229 entry point of Apple TV any time soon, as there is no competition from HDDVD to drive prices down. Sales of Blu-ray, other than PS3, have already dropped off.
Most people (the readers of this website don't fall under "most" people) have already decided they don't care about having a physical version of music, hence iTunes overwhelming share of the music retailing business, so it is only a matter of time before they embrace digital downloads of movies the same way. As lazy as it seems, with gas prices and other economic factors effecting American's habits, if there's a choice of buying a movie through a download for nearly the same price as a DVD or Blu-ray, with out spending $5+ on gas to get to the brick and mortar store to get the disc, I have a good feeling people will opt for the download.
Yup, I owned a Blu-ray player... so did my mom and brother. Too bad they are 1.0 or 1.1 and don't play the new blu-rays. Blu-ray is a ripoff to me. It left the early adopters high and dry. It really is pretty weak. So I am now back to purchasing standard DVDs for a $600 player.
My Apple TV on the other hand? Only works better than it did when I bought it. Can transfer my DVDs to it, and can download better HD than my current blu-ray player (thanks to the new ones no longer working).
that stinks. all that investment to only have them change it and leave you without. i agree that sometimes technology moves too fast or defeats the purpose of advancement. good luck with your Apple TV. We love ours too.
This is great news. Another step in the right direction. But, I wonder, will they also be offering RENTALS the same day? Now THAT would be news as well.
that's what i was wondering.
i'm also hoping the 24-hour limit on rentals can sooner or later (hopefully sooner) be extended to a more reasonable limit, like 48 hours, or a nice 52 (2 days and a few hours).
regardless, it's moving in the right direction.
Do people actually buy movies from Itunes? Wow... thats...wow...
What do you do if you want to watch it at a friend's house? Take your Mac over there? Or what if you download it and want to watch it on your TV vs. your comp? Oh wait.. thats right, Apple TV.. so I have to buy more hardware just because I want to watch a movie on my tv... Thanks but no thanks, I'll stick to the O-so user friendly DVD. It works on every system and I can transfer them to any video player I want in a click or two.
i buy movies on iTunes, which auto-sync to my iPod (iPhone soon, waiting for the 2nd gen) and i just plug my iPod in to whatever TV i want to watch it on.
...or, when i'm at my house, i just stream it to my Apple TV.
so you don't want to buy stuff... don't. but does it actually surprise you to see other people buying into a fairly comprehensive solution that works well for them? wow... just wow! some people are willing to spend money on things! crazy.
...as an aside, i've owned 5 DVD players in the last few years. 4 of which have died for no reason (and would have cost more to repair than buy a new one) ...and we're talking upscaling HDMI players, back when that was a big deal and costs several hundred dollars. I've owned Sony, Denon, etc. My AppleTV hasn't had a single problem, has already outlasted 2 players, and has an extended warrantee that actually means something. Maybe i just have bad luck, but DVD hasn't been o-so-friendly to me. I still use em, i still pay netflix, but i'm certainly not against alternatives.
I have no problems with alternatives... if they work with me and not against me.
So.. what if a friend wants to borrow a flick? What then? Lend them your Ipod? What if 2 friends want to borrow 2 different movies? How will you accomplish that without some fairly long processes.
There are many better alternatives to Itunes.
As for the Ipod, I prefer stuff that's built to last. Apple makes fly by night products. Disagree? Ok, how many Ipods do you own? 2? 3? 4?
I have 1 old Walkman and 1 old Discman that still work as well as the day I bought them. Who can say the same about a 1st or 2nd gen Ipod. Why do you have 3 Ipods?
Well lets see.. the first one, the battery died (and you couldn't change it) and it was cheaper to buy a new one. The second didn't have enough memory (which you couldn't upgrade) so you bought a third.
Now... what happens if you lose your Ipod? Your movies are gone. If I lose my media player it's no biggie I still have the DVD/downloaded file at home and since I can do whatever I want with them putting the movies onto a new player is a snap.
You unfortunately need to buy another Apple product and even if you do their DRM won't let you put the movies onto any other Ipod but your original. (yes I know there are ways, but thay are a pain in the @ss).
Actually I still have and use my 1st gen iPod. Works great and the physical wheel is now retro cool. Sorta like a '67 Mustang for iPod fans.
So I guess your one of the ones who coughed up the dough for a new battery, or you don't use it very much.
Same battery, but your probably right in that I am not the same demographic for usage as others.
Then again, I am probably more comparable to those who still use walkmans and tape audio.
Does the iTunes movie download match the quality of DVD? Do you get special features with the download?
its just seems to me that these downloads are working backwards in terms of audio/video quality. Will it be a few years till they are able to get DVD quality?
I agree with HalfJoey. Right now, digital downloads are a step backwards both in quality and functionality. In the movie/video realm, digital download will be unable to supplant physical media until they can rival or beat physical media's quality. Which won't happen until people have 100mbit internet connections, because no one is going to want to take 2 days to download a 30gb movie before they watch it. Convenience is great, but I don't see the convenience of a 480p, sub-DVD-quality download replacing the quality of even physical DVDs, much less hi-def discs. Especially when the download is the same price, so you pay more, for less, with the only value added being convenience.
Not to mention that you don't usually get special features with downloads, which some people (myself included) really like on their DVDs/Blu-Rays.
i like netflix. the end.
to sk8trpro
Eventually the CD will get replaced. Some say the 8 track has better quality of sound since it used "8-tracks" at the same time rather then CD. BetaMax was said to be better quality and sound over VHS but marketing push won. and yes even toshiba's lost DVD format was pushed by many to be better. Personally i hope Music "upgrades" from CD to DVD. Tapes only lived about 15 years. Its about time for a CD change now.
There's DRM on DVD's also - what's your point?
Talk to me when I can get 7.1 1080P.
"iTunes Store is the best way for Mac and PC users to *legally* discover, purchase and download music and video online." Found that distinction interesting.
Too bad the audio/video quality sucks in both SD and HD. I'm much much happier with my Vudu. I just use the AppleTV for music.ke
Wake me up when rentals are available same day as DVD rentals.
As far as owning a physical movie disc (BD or DVD), I'm all for that if it's a movie I want to own. Otherwise, for rentals I'm all about the digital download.
Have you seen the selection? Give me a break!