iTunes movies now available for Australia & New Zealand

[AppleInsider]

Apple on Thursday announced that movies from several major film studios are now available on the iTunes Store in Australia and in New Zealand.

In total, more than 700 films are available for rent or purchase from studios that include 20th Century Fox, The Walt Disney Studios, Paramount Pictures, Warner Bros. Entertainment, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios Inc., Sony Pictures Television International and Lionsgate.

Among the titles are several new releases that can be purchase on the same day as their DVD release, including favorites such as "National Treasure 2," "Jumper," "27 Dresses," "Cloverfield," "Vantage Point" and "Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End."

"Movie fans in Australia and New Zealand can choose from a great selection of over 700 films for purchase and rent on the iTunes Store," said Eddy Cue, Apple’s vice president of Internet Services. "iTunes provides an incredibly easy and fun way for people to discover and enjoy movies, and has quickly become the world’s most popular online movie store with customers renting and purchasing over 50,000 movies everyday."

With iTunes Movie Rentals, once a movie is rented, it starts downloading from the iTunes Store directly to iTunes or Apple TV, and users with a fast Internet connection can start viewing the movie in seconds.

Customers have up to 30 days to start watching it, and once a movie has been started customers have 48 hours to finish it—or watch it multiple times. iTunes Movie Rentals also feature over 100 titles available in high definition.

Pricing in Australia starts at A$9.99 for catalog title purchases, A$17.99 for recent releases and A$24.99 for new releases. iTunes Movie Rentals are A$3.99 for library title rentals and A$5.99 for new releases, and high definition versions are priced at just one dollar more.

iTunes movies in New Zealand start at NZ$9.99 for catalog title purchases, NZ$17.99 for recent releases and NZ$24.99 for new releases. iTunes Movie Rentals are NZ$4.99 for library title rentals and NZ$6.99 for new releases, and high definition versions are priced at just one dollar more.

[ View this article at AppleInsider.com ]

[macb00kpr0]

You can keep track of the iTunes movie of the week specials by going to http://www.99rental.com. So far only the US (99 cents) and UK (99p) have specials but if Australia and New Zealand start as well, the site will be updated I'm sure.

[teckstud]

Why do they get 48 hours to watch and we only get 24 hours?

[teckstud]

I wonder if iTunes has " A Dingo Stole My Baby"?

[broadbean]

Originally Posted by teckstud

Why do they get 48 hours to watch and we only get 24 hours?

Probably because you guys are a day behind due to our timezones.

[teckstud]

Originally Posted by broadbean

Probably because you guys are a day behind due to our timezones.

Does your Mac beachball spin counter- clock wise?

[oliinthemorning]

I live in the UK and we have 48 hours too. Its a good thing since we pay double what you guys do in the US. I think they give 48 hours to stop the direct comparison with US prices. Get over it, you guys have the best deal

[teckstud]

Originally Posted by oliinthemorning

I live in the UK and we have 48 hours too. Its a good thing since we pay double what you guys do in the US. I think they give 48 hours to stop the direct comparison with US prices. Get over it, you guys have the best deal

Let's face it - neither of us has a great deal with this plan. 24-48 hours is ridiculous for the price either of us has to pay for a rental. How much do you pay to rent HD?
I rented a movie -started watching it on the 30th day- didn't finish it - and the next day it vanished. Never again.

[Restalot]

Congrats Austral Asians!

I expect each of you to have an Apple TV by the end of the week now that it is useful to you.

[solipsism]

Originally Posted by broadbean

Probably because you guys are a day behind due to our timezones.

Originally Posted by teckstud

Does your Mac beachball spin counter- clock wise?

@ you both.

Originally Posted by teckstud

Let's face it - neither of us has a great deal with this plan. 24-48 hours is ridiculous for the price either of us has to pay for a rental. How much do you pay to rent HD?
I rented a movie -started watching it on the 30th day- didn't finish it - and the next day it vanished. Never again.

The plan could be better, especially when you compare it to Netflix, which Blockbuster has had to compete with even in its stores by not charging for late fees. It wasn't too long ago when you had to have that movie returned by the 2nd day at noon or some odd hour. With the transport and time it wasn't even close to 48 hours and was highly inconvenient, but we dealt with it. I suppose our requirements for movie rentals have changed but we need to convince the studios that allowing us more time to watch the movie doesn't mean we're more likely to steal it.

What time frame do you think is good for online rentals?

PS: Why did you wait until the last day and not finish it? It sounds like you just weren't interested in the movie.

[teckstud]

Originally Posted by solipsism

@ you both.



The plan could be better, especially when you compare it to Netflix, which Blockbuster has had to compete with even in its stores by not charging for late fees. It wasn't too long ago when you had to have that movie returned by the 2nd day at noon or some odd hour. With the transport and time it wasn't even close to 48 hours and was highly inconvenient, but we dealt with it. I suppose our requirements for movie rentals have changed but we need to convince the studios that allowing us more time to watch the movie doesn't mean we're more likely to steal it.

What time frame do you think is good for online rentals?

PS: Why did you wait until the last day and not finish it? It sounds like you just weren't interested in the movie.

Blockbuster is a brick and mortar store and has to pay rent , utilities, etc. Both Blockbuster and Netflix use physical media which can damage. There is no comparison. These rentals are merely residing on an Apple iTunes server somewhere yet cost more to rent!
There should be a time frame IMHO of 60 hours minimum- a weekend. And if you start on the 30th day of the month - it should be able to detect whether you've finished or not and not shut you off right on 30 days regardless.
And the price obviously should be much less.

I was interested in the movie but was trying to co-ordinate viewing with a friend. We both travel much.
When I finally got around to watching it was the 30th day but got interrupted. I should have waited until the viewing time to actually rent. Regardlees, there are too many restrictions for these overpriced rentals.

[solipsism]

Originally Posted by teckstud

Blockbuster is a brick and mortar store and has to pay rent , utilities, etc. Both Blockbuster and Netflix use physical media which can damage. There is no comparison. These rentals are merely residing on an Apple iTunes server somewhere yet cost more to rent!
There should be a time frame IMHO of 72 hours minimum- a weekend. And if you start on the 30th day of the month - it should be able to detect whether you've finished or not and not shut you off right on 30 days regardless.
And the price obviously should be much less.

I do like the 72 hours, though at least 36 would be great as it would all for 2 full evenings to watch a movie if you have to stop on the first one.

The cost is an issue but Blcokbuster also isn't having to pay for the servers for storage and the bandwidth for transporting the files, but the real cost is what Apple has to pay the studios which apparently are asking for too much right now. Is it pure greed for this being a new transport method they wish to exploit from early adopters, are they foolishly worried about piracy from iTS movies when the DVD screeners and the R5 Cam releases, or are trying to set a precedent for the future of internet-based movie rentals/purchases?

PS: I thought that the timer cancels the 30 day clock and resets to the 24 hour clock once you start watching it. I'll buy Groundhog Day later on today for 99¢ to try this out if no one has an affirmative answer on this. Though you'll have to give me a month.

[teckstud]

Originally Posted by solipsism

I do like the 72 hours, though at least 36 would be great as it would all for 2 full evenings to watch a movie if you have to stop on the first one.

The cost is an issue but Blcokbuster also isn't having to pay for the servers for storage and the bandwidth for transporting the files, but the real cost is what Apple has to pay the studios which apparently are asking for too much right now. Is it pure greed for this being a new transport method they wish to exploit from early adopters, are they foolishly worried about piracy from iTS movies when the DVD screeners and the R5 Cam releases, or are trying to set a precedent for the future of internet-based movie rentals/purchases?

PS: I thought that the timer cancels the 30 day clock and resets to the 24 hour clock once you start watching it. I'll buy Groundhog Day later on today for 99¢ to try this out if no one has an affirmative answer on this. Though you'll have to give me a month.

Are you so sure that poor Apple is being charged so much from the studios and that they themselves aren't also responsible for this greed? Is there an actual break out of the costs anywhere to verify this or is this speculation on your part?
I extremely doubt that the cost of server storage and bandwith transportation costs are equal to or more of a physical store with physical media. If that were the case Amazon would not be so cheap nor would any other internet service for that matter.
Let me know if your 99cent rental times out- I got stung on a $5 HD Rental. It apparently ends totally after 30 days- no exceptions!
BTW-I've lessened my time out to 60 hours- an actual weekend.

[solipsism]

Originally Posted by teckstud

Are you so sure that poor Apple is being charged so much from the studios and that they themselves aren't also responsible for this greed? Is there an actual break out of the costs anywhere to verify this or is this speculation on your part?.

It's speculation, but based on info at hand it seems to me to be the most likely. For one, there was a huge delay with movies coming to the iTS. Even after all the TV studios had jumped on board offering video and the the Disney umbrella was there offering movies we still waited and waited. This leads me to believe that the negotiations were at a stalemate.

Furthermore, we finally saw more studios announced at this past MacWorld. It wasn't just a couple big studios or just purchases, it was rentals and purchases from every major and many minor studio out there. There was also a growing number of competitive services cropping up that would be directly competing with Apple for online media. This make me think that Apple finally gave in to get the ball rolling on movies to maintain the iTS a dominance in movies even if it was at the expense of making that aspect of the online store was a short term loss leader.

I extremely doubt that the cost of server storage and bandwith transportation costs are equal to or more of a physical store with physical media. If that were the case Amazon would not be so cheap nor would any other internet service for that matter.

I didn't mean to imply it would be more I was just going over the general cost.

[Jimzip]

Originally Posted by teckstud

Why do they get 48 hours to watch and we only get 24 hours?

I believe it's actually because of American's short attention spans...

I joke!

Jimzip

[MartiNZ]

I happened upon the movies having been released shortly before I saw it reported anywhere - my second ahead-of-the-world feeling in just over a week! (the first was finding iPhone 2.0.1 available before it was reported)

I have to say that I'm glad there are very few movies up that interest me though - the sizes they are at are between 1/3 and 1/2 of my monthly quota on broadband!

Still, it's progress.

[palegolas]

How many countries have iTunes movies now? I feel like they're accelerating. I hope there's a multi country announcement just around the corner.

[gastroboy]

Wacko the diddly-o.

I'm about as excited as I was when the iTunes Store finally appeared here after several years having its non-existence touted as a great Mac feature and reason to buy from Apple.

I can't figure why anyone would consider short term renting from the Store a great alternative to just buying the DVD or saving a swag of money and renting from the local video store.

And all that is pretending that Bitorrent doesn't even exist!

[solipsism]

Originally Posted by gastroboy

I can't figure why anyone would consider short term renting from the Store a great alternative to just buying the DVD or saving a swag of money and renting from the local video store.

1) Most people don't want to own their movies as they only watch them once.
2) Going to a video store is more inconvenient.
3) Netflix mail-order doesn't allow for instant watching.

[gastroboy]

Originally Posted by solipsism

1) Most people don't want to own their movies as they only watch them once.
2) Going to a video store is more inconvenient.
3) Netflix mail-order doesn't allow for instant watching.

1) Exactly how much are you willing to pay to NOT own a movie?

2) How fat and lazy can you get?

3) Neither does downloading huge files in Australia where thanks to our near monopoly Telco, broadband speeds are crap.

Like I said that also ignores the obvious alternatives which have been long available.

So to summarise, the market for iTunes movies is a fat stupid suggestable geek with too much money who oddly doesn't know how to use the Net.

Cost summary

To go to the movies to see current release $14.95, $9.95 on Mondays or Tuesdays.

To rent a recent release DVD $5 -$7

Rent Weekly DVD (catalog item) $1.50 - $3

Buy a recent release DVD $24.95 - $32.95

Buy a catalog DVD $6.95 - $12.95

Rent a DVD from QuickFlix delivered to your letterbox $1.95

Rent from iTunes Store for only 48hrs $9.99 - $24.99 plus download costs.

[solipsism]

Originally Posted by gastroboy

So to summarise, the market for iTunes movies is a fat stupid suggestable geek with too much money who oddly doesn't know how to use the Net.

I am not fat, the stupid depends on who you talk to, I am not suggestible (but you might be able to change my mind on this one), I do okay financially but would never think I have "too much money, and I'm quite versed with the internet (my use of the Excite search engine, my new Friendster account and realisation that it's a "series of tubes" prove that I'm an expert in the internets).

Seriously, most of the world's broadband seems to be an all-you-can-eat service. Plus, it's just plain convenient to want to watch a movie late at night or realise that you missed a TV Show the night before and have access to it immediately.

What if you are home alone with the kids and they are already in bed? What if you have you just don't want to leave the house because packing up the kids takes too long or it's raining or you only have just enough time to watch the program before you have other stuff to do and running to the video store would make that impossible? What if you don't live near a video store or they are out of what you want but iTunes Store still has it "in stock" or you are on foot for whatever reason? What if you are sick with the flu in bed or you are going on a trip so you want these videos on your laptop of iPod/iPhone.

There are many, many valid reasons why there should be alternative methods, but none for abolition of one because it doesn't suit your particular needs.

Cost summary
To go to the movies to see current release $14.95, $9.95 on Mondays or Tuesdays.
To rent a recent release DVD $5 -$7
Rent Weekly DVD (catalog item) $1.50 - $3
Buy a recent release DVD $24.95 - $32.95
Buy a catalog DVD $6.95 - $12.95
Rent a DVD from QuickFlix delivered to your letterbox $1.95
Rent from iTunes Store for only 48hrs $9.99 - $24.99 plus download costs.

Those prices are not inline with what I pay for any of that.

[gastroboy]

Not personal, just generalising.

If you are into the disposable lifestyle as a personal statement of hostility against the planet, you can always throw away the DVD that you were for some reason unable to insert into your laptop.

Unable to read a map, orient yourself or forward plan on your trip I can understand that you would not be able to pass a video store.

So I would need to modify the market as a rather confused, disoriented, impatient, fat geek with too much money and probably trapped under a fallen piano, unable to lift a finger to even dial 911 for an urgent pizza and DVD.

A much bigger market in the USA than Australia I would think.

[solipsism]

Originally Posted by gastroboy

Not personal, just generalising.

If you are into the disposable lifestyle as a personal statement of hostility against the planet, you can always throw away the DVD that you were for some reason unable to insert into your laptop.

I guess I forget a potential reason: Lowered carbon footprint by renting and buying media from one's home over the internet.

Unable to read a map, orient yourself or forward plan on your trip I can understand that you would not be able to pass a video store.

So I would need to modify the market as a rather confused, disoriented, impatient, fat geek with too much money and probably trapped under a fallen piano, unable to lift a finger to even dial 911 for an urgent pizza and DVD.

A much bigger market in the USA than Australia I would think.

That just sounds like you are trying to insult all Americans but I'm not sure. Probably because I'm to confused to understand the words yous be a writtan or perhaps I'm too impatient to read comprehensively enough.

The fallen piano thing I just don't get. Are you suggesting that fat geeks spend an inordinate amount of time under large musical instruments or were you watching a Charlie Chaplin film while writing that post. Either way, as a lazy, stupid, arrogant American I don't think I should be required to dial 7 numbers when ordering pizza. That is so 3rd-world!

[gastroboy]

Originally Posted by solipsism

I guess I forget a potential reason: Lowered carbon footprint by renting and buying media from one's home over the internet.

The permanently on, downloading computer, server and internet is being powered off the generator attached to your exercise bicycle? As is your large flat screen TV, air con. etc.

Originally Posted by solipsism

The fallen piano thing I just don't get. Are you suggesting that fat geeks spend an inordinate amount of time under large musical instruments or were you watching a Charlie Chaplin film while writing that post. Either way, as a lazy, stupid, arrogant American I don't think I should be required to dial 7 numbers when ordering pizza. That is so 3rd-world!

Something seems to have totally immobilised you that you seem so helpless, I thought the piano might have been as likely a scenario as the others.

Out of curiosity how much do you pay for the alternatives? I can't imagine they are more expensive than here.

[solipsism]

Originally Posted by gastroboy

The permanently on, downloading computer, server and internet is being powered off the generator attached to your exercise bicycle? As is your large flat screen TV, air con. etc.

The time and energy to produce a DVD and it's case and leaflett and then ship it all over the world to be housed in different B&M stores is considerably more energy than the studios transcoding the video for the iTS and sending the file to me over a series of tubes.

Something seems to have totally immobilised you that you seem so helpless, I thought the piano might have been as likely a scenario as the others.

Why even try to be insulting on an internet forum? If you think that is best for your argument then feel free to continue; I have a tough skin when it comes to people I don't know and could very well just be a sophisticated bot designed by the Japanese to further their AI dvelopment*.

* That ties into my screenname.

Out of curiosity how much do you pay for the alternatives? I can't imagine they are more expensive than here.

ITunes Store (US)
$3 — older rentals
$4 — new rentals
$4 — older HD rentals
$5 —new HD rentals

Video Stores (my area)
$3-$4 — new rentals
$2-$3 — older rentals
(I have no idea what the Blu-ray rental prices are)

[gastroboy]

Originally Posted by solipsism

The time and energy to produce a DVD and it's case and leaflett and then ship it all over the world to be housed in different B&M stores is considerably more energy than the studios transcoding the video for the iTS and sending the file to me over a series of tubes.

If only that was all that it took for you to receive and view the movies, which are then totally disposable after the one viewing. You are of course ignoring that that one DVD's energy cost is being shared by multiple viewers, whilst the iTunes DL is always a one off.

Originally Posted by solipsism

ITunes Store (US)
$3 — older rentals
$4 — new rentals
$4 — older HD rentals
$5 —new HD rentals

Video Stores (my area)
$3-$4 — new rentals
$2-$3 — older rentals
(I have no idea what the Blu-ray rental prices are)

So I take that buying DVDs, going to movies etc is equally as cheap?

I gave you our costing and you have Apple's, so you can see that it doesn't make much sense here.

[solipsism]

Originally Posted by gastroboy

If only that was all that it took for you to receive and view the movies, which are then totally disposable after the one viewing. You are of course ignoring that that one DVD's energy cost is being shared by multiple viewers, whilst the iTunes DL is always a one off.

Huh? What exactly is preventing my iTS rental from be viewed by as many people as my living room can hold. And what is requiring multiple people to watch a DVD rental?

So I take that buying DVDs, going to movies etc is equally as cheap?

I gave you our costing and you have Apple's, so you can see that it doesn't make much sense here.

Again, huh? You asked what the cost was. I gave the US costs for renting media from iTS US and from a local video store. Do you want to know the cost of going to a movie theater? That is about $7 to $10 in my home area depending on the time of day and theatre chain, but it's not relevenant to the discussion of video rentals.

[gastroboy]

Originally Posted by solipsism

Huh? What exactly is preventing my iTS rental from be viewed by as many people as my living room can hold. And what is requiring multiple people to watch a DVD rental?

The video store throws away the DVD after you watch it? Oh, it lets someone else watch it!

Is that really hygienic?

Originally Posted by solipsism

Again, huh? You asked what the cost was. I gave the US costs for renting media from iTS US and from a local video store. Do you want to know the cost of going to a movie theater? That is about $7 to $10 in my home area depending on the time of day and theatre chain, but it's not relevenant to the discussion of video rentals.

The thread is about iTunes movie rentals in Australia and New Zealand, where Apple is asking far more for a non-current movie rental than the cost of a just released movie ticket.

It's not all just about you.

I was only curious to establish the alternatives available to you that would cause you to make the choices you make, where you are.

[solipsism]

Originally Posted by gastroboy

The video store throws away the DVD after you watch it? Oh, it lets someone else watch it!

So you think that since the DVD is rewatchable for a longer time than an online rental that it must have a lower carbon footprint? Even the drive to the store would be more than the power it would take to send the video.

I was only curious to establish the alternatives available to you that would cause you to make the choices you make, where you are.

Which I answered, but it apparently wasn't good enough.

You aren't just biased here you are also admittedly bigoted that anyone who uses the internet for video rentals are stupid, fat, lay, atc.Do you think that is a valid argument to which one should take you seriously? I've given you too many chances for an out but being a dick is apparently thing ocus you have so I think I'll it's best if I cut some forum fat and add you to my ignore list. BTW, that means my above questions are therefore rhetorical. Cheers.

[gastroboy]

It is obvious that you are trying very hard to find reasons for why the iTunes store makes sense, when in reality it is just another consumer "thing".

Picking up a video when done in conjunction with other shopping is carbon neutral. Nothing stopping you doing it whilst walking the dog, good for you, the dog and the planet.

Of course if you are totally impatient and must have every whim gratified whenever they occur to you, you will never be environmentally green.

So where does America or any other 1st world country on this consumer roundabout rate? Are we using less or more energy?

The very equipment you are using to DL and watch this disposable entertainment is being hauled half way round the world before ending up at the tip within a few short years.

To support all this technology we are also consuming and disposing of ever more hardware, keeping our power hungry computer, entertainment and communications equipment either permanently on, so that we don't have to wait, or using "Standby" to permanently drain power.

Don't pretend to be environmentally concerned when it is clear that in reality it is the last thing on your mind.

[STecchino]

Wow, this one got off topic quickly.

Even for the posts that were on topic...in my opinion, people shouldn't be too quick to get overheated in these forums. It's too easy to fall prey to that on the internet unfortunately.

[iDunno]

Originally Posted by gastroboy

Cost summary

To go to the movies to see current release $14.95, $9.95 on Mondays or Tuesdays.

To rent a recent release DVD $5 -$7

Rent Weekly DVD (catalog item) $1.50 - $3

Buy a recent release DVD $24.95 - $32.95

Buy a catalog DVD $6.95 - $12.95

Rent a DVD from QuickFlix delivered to your letterbox $1.95

Rent from iTunes Store for only 48hrs $9.99 - $24.99 plus download costs.

To go to Hoyts or another major cinema is more like $15.50 now

Every other price I would say is more or less right except your last. To rent from iTunes is $5.95 for standard def or $6.95 for HD. I personally will be using iTunes rentals purely because it is easy.

Which at the end of the day is what it is all about for me.

[iDunno]

And further. I don't want to shell out for a ps3 or blu ray player just yet... so I intend to use the store for renting HD movies only. Seems perfectly logical to me. And it's not like I'll be doing it every week. Once a fortnight would be more like it.

[solipsism]

Originally Posted by iDunno

And further. I don't want to shell out for a ps3 or blu ray player just yet... so I intend to use the store for renting HD movies only. Seems perfectly logical to me. And it's not like I'll be doing it every week. Once a fortnight would be more like it.

Luckily for internet rental services the current speed and data transfer allowances (at least for the US) is at a point that they can take advantage of the HD-DVD/Blu-ray war and the indecision among many to switch from an older to a new optical format. Perhaps they were about a year too late but if the internet was another year or two behind I think HD optical media would have had a much stronger hold than it does now.