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iTunes movie rentals finally work across multiple devices
Somehow, Apple went until 2017 before adding one of the most basic features to iTunes. You see, for the past nine years, when you'd rent a movie via the app, you'd have to watch it on the device the rental originated from. So, if you rented Manchester by the Sea on your commute, watched a few minutes and then wanted to finish bumming yourself out on your big screen at home, you were out of luck. With the latest version of iTunes (12.6) and "rent once, watch anywhere," that's changed.
Apple reportedly working to rent new movies early on iTunes
According to Bloomberg, Apple is in talks with major movie studios to offer early rentals on iTunes. The report, which cites sources familiar with the ongoing discussions, suggests 21st Century Fox, Universal Pictures and Warner Bros., are trying to find a partner to help them rent films "as early as two weeks" after they first hit theaters. That said, Bloomberg does note that the Hollywood overlords may "end up choosing another technology platform" instead of iTunes, although no specifics were given.
iTunes offers 10-movie bundles for $10 each
Believe it or not, it's been a decade since movies arrived in iTunes... and Apple wants to make sure you remember that. It's launching a 10th anniversary US promo that, appropriately, offers 10-movie bundles from five major studios (Lionsgate, Paramount, Sony, Universal and Warner Bros.) for $10 each. And no, these aren't all stinkers that wouldn't otherwise sell. There are gems like Live Die Repeat, Rush, Selma, Captain Phillips and No Country for Old Men in the mix, and the odds are usually good that you'll enjoy most of what a given bundle has to offer.
Apple's iBooks Store and iTunes Movies banned in China
Although Apple is enjoying a lot of success in China, its popularity hasn't stopped it from falling foul of the country's regulators. The New York Times reports that Chinese media watchdog, the State Administration of Press, Publication, Radio, Film and Television has banned the company's iBooks Store and iTunes Movies service as part of a strict crackdown on online services owned by foreign companies.
iTunes movies in 1080p: less than or equal to Blu-ray image quality?
Blu-ray's been atop the home entertainment mountain, with only fleeting competition from HD-DVDs, ever since its introduction. Since then, home internet connections have gotten faster and the quality of downloadable content has improved such that iTunes can offer 1080p versions of your favorite movies. But, does iTunes really provide the crystal clear quality we're accustomed to seeing from its disc-based competition? The good folks at Ars Technica decided to find out using the film 30 Days of Night, and results were mixed: text and color reproduction were virtually indistinguishable, but the compressed iTunes version showed warts when dealing with bright spots and dark gradients. Highlights in the downloaded movie were a little blown out and lacked the detail of their Blu-ray counterparts, and banding was visible in the downloaded movie during a darker scene. So, it seems that supreme video quality still comes via optical drive, but if you're willing to sacrifice a smidge, the iTunes alternative is still pretty darn good. Don't take our word for it, though, there's lots of photos detailing the difference at the source below.
Movies in the iTunes Store
Lost in all the excitement of the new iPods, iPod nanos, and iPod Shuffles we overlooked something: movies in the iTunes Store. That's right, the rumormongers were correct and you can now purchase movies from Walt Disney Pictures, Pixar, Touchstone Pictures and Miramax Films (all Disney studios) from the comfort of iTunes. This movies (and all tv shows now) are available at a resolution of 640x48 which Apple calls 'near DVD quality.'In an effort to make movie viewing more pleasurable you can watch the movies as you download them, and iTunes 7 features new on screen controls (seen at the left) which make it easier to control your movie. And of course you can review the movies that are available on iTunes (there are about 75) so if you're really into the Princess Diaries (iTunes link) let the world know!New feature film releases will cost $14.99 which back catalog movies will go for $9.99.
