Apple premieres iTunes Movie Rentals

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Comments

  • Reply 41 of 70
    melgrossmelgross Posts: 33,606member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by bambuhiphop View Post


    I agree with you to a point. I am sure they are as low as they can go but the fact remains that this pricing is not very competitive in the current market. They can price where ever they want. Its their product. As with all things some people will use these and for others it does not work and won't use it but I think if Apple did it a little different they could get more business.



    We'll see if it's low enough when numbers start coming in.



    The convince is worth it for me. We buy DVD's, but often don't watch them more than once.



    I'd rather spend three to five bucks to watch it once.



    I think you'll be surprised at how well this will do.
  • Reply 42 of 70
    teckstudteckstud Posts: 6,476member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by jordan.murry View Post


    I second the motion. I want to buy HD. I'm not big into renting, and I don't care for near DVD quality...



    There is no logical reason to not let me buy the HD. The only reason it wouldn't show up is if the Studios and Apple want play the control/power game (as could be expected). It will be interesting to see if Apple is being reasonable here.



    yes this one is weird. Where is the difference in whether the studios make their profits off a Blu-Ray , HD DVD or a download? They could probably make more profit here without physical medium. AppleTV has 160 gigs - plenty of room for HD purchases. I've had mine since June and have only barely used up 50 gigs. This sounds like Apple here. And if you rent - why not credit on the same title to purchase if I may add another point? You get a credit when completing an album- no? Oh well- still an empty box with things to keep buying for it!
  • Reply 43 of 70
    melgrossmelgross Posts: 33,606member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by teckstud View Post


    yes this one is weird. Where is the difference in whether the studios make their profits off a Blu-Ray , HD DVD or a download? They could probably make more profit here without physical medium. AppleTV has 160 gigs - plenty of room for HD purchases. I've had mine since June and have only barely used up 50 gigs. This sounds like Apple here. And if you rent - why not credit on the same title to purchase if I may add another point? You get a credit when completing an album- no? Oh well- still an empty box with things to keep buying for it!



    It's probably not Apple.



    Remember that Universal pulled all of its video from iTunes, and most studios haven't even entered into an agreement to sell theirs.



    This is likely a compromise. the best Apple could manage if they wanted all the studios on board.



    Hopefully, the rest will come later.



    I did find the reference to BD to be very interesting, and perhaps a bit calculated.
  • Reply 44 of 70
    One thing to keep in mind for HD rentals is this: I don't have or intend to get a Blu-ray or HD DVD player. How else am I going to watch movies in HD? Well, I can through Comcast VOD. The viewing restrictions are similar in that I get 24 hours to watch the movie from the time it starts. However, ALL the movies are $5.99 to rent whether they are new or old (OK some are free, but I never see free movies that I'm interested in). And the selection is limited to 20 or so per month. Advantage: iTunes.



    Now, keep in mind that in order to watch any HD content (aside from through cable, et al) you must have a "player", be it Blu-ray, HD DVD, TV etc. For NetFlix to work for me here, I still need to spend at least $300. For me, the TV offers more versatility than the other types of players. Movies, Music, YouTube and Podcasts are something I access almost every day. Now I can rent HD movies, too. Advantage: TV.



    I think this is just the beginning and things will get better from here...
  • Reply 45 of 70
    kishankishan Posts: 732member
    Has anyone actually been able to find a movie for rental on iTunes? There is a top rentals list in iTunes/Movies, but when I click on one of those movies, there is no rental button. Yes I have updated iTunes...
  • Reply 46 of 70
    dmzdmz Posts: 5,775member
    Rentals still not working for me either.
  • Reply 47 of 70
    samnuvasamnuva Posts: 225member
    Where is it? I want to rent the simpsons movie but I can't i think steve might lose his 3.99 from me.
  • Reply 48 of 70
    solipsismsolipsism Posts: 25,726member
    Aren't these rentals supposed to be available today? If so, I can't find them via iTunes Store.





    edit: HAHA I guess I'm not the only one baffled.
  • Reply 49 of 70
    melgrossmelgross Posts: 33,606member
    Maybe a start-up glitch.
  • Reply 50 of 70
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by melgross View Post


    We'll see if it's low enough when numbers start coming in.



    The convince is worth it for me. We buy DVD's, but often don't watch them more than once.



    I'd rather spend three to five bucks to watch it once.



    I think you'll be surprised at how well this will do.



    I to have stopped purchasing DVD's as a whole. But it vastly more cost effective to rent from Blockbuster or Netflix for myself. The price difference is so much that convince goes right out the window. I have no doubt that this will do well and in a way I hope it does because they will continue to innovate to make it appeal to a broader crowd. I just would have liked to see a subscription right from the start.
  • Reply 51 of 70
    solipsismsolipsism Posts: 25,726member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by melgross View Post


    We'll see if it's low enough when numbers start coming in.



    The convince is worth it for me. We buy DVD's, but often don't watch them more than once.



    I'd rather spend three to five bucks to watch it once.



    I think you'll be surprised at how well this will do.



    I think that HD rentals will be a very big success for that price. And the AppleTV will no longer be the lemon is was referred to last year.





    I'm curious how Apple got all those studios to agree. With Amazon adding DRM-free music that iTunes isn't getting, Netflix offering streaming content, and Jobs stating that the iTS movie sales and AppleTV sales weren't as good as they expected, I wonder if Jobs had to eat some humble pie to get these contracts signed.
  • Reply 52 of 70
    mkralmkral Posts: 58member
    You can't use this service with a 5th gen video ipod it appears. If that's correct, it seems like kind of a stupid move on Apple's part. How many potential customers are they excluding from the rental process right off the bat. I'd like to play, but I'm not buying a new ipod just for the pleasure of doing so. Oh well.
  • Reply 53 of 70
    melgrossmelgross Posts: 33,606member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by solipsism View Post


    I think that HD rentals will be a very big success for that price. And the AppleTV will no longer be the lemon is was referred to last year.





    I'm curious how Apple got all those studios to agree. With Amazon adding DRM-free music that iTunes isn't getting, Netflix offering streaming content, and Jobs stating that the iTS movie sales and AppleTV sales weren't as good as they expected, I wonder if Jobs had to eat some humble pie to get these contracts signed.



    It was the selling of movies and Tv shows that Apple has had the difficulty with.



    remtals are a whole new ballgame. The pricing is in line with what the studios are asking for, I suppose.



    And I also can't seem to find a way to rent, or even to see all 1,000+ movies on iTunes.



    It is interesting though that when I went to "help", it said that to see the movies I would rent in the highest quality, I should rent it from the ATv. It didn't actually mention HD at all, or say that was what I'd be renting, though obviously it would be.
  • Reply 54 of 70
    user23user23 Posts: 199member
    looks like from what I've been seeing on the net...is that the 1,000 movies will become available _through_ February...Not immediately as promised/implied today.
  • Reply 55 of 70
    solipsismsolipsism Posts: 25,726member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by user23 View Post


    looks like from what I've been seeing on the net...is that the 1,000 movies will become available _through_ February...Not immediately as promised/implied today.



    Jobs said during the Keynote, and I quote, "...1000 films by the end of February.." and "...rolling it out in the US starting today..."
  • Reply 56 of 70
    Well I for one am thrilled about this. I don't watch many movies, and when I do it's usually a bit of an impulse watch. Regular Netflix takes too long, streaming Netflix isn't Mac-friendly, and driving to a Blockbuster...hell no. I've been waiting for easy online rentals for some time, and the prices of these iTunes rentals are fine. Roughly even with going to Blockbuster, and much more convenient. Average people like me are psyched about this.
  • Reply 57 of 70
    mcdavemcdave Posts: 1,927member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by solipsism View Post


    I think that HD rentals will be a very big success for that price. And the AppleTV will no longer be the lemon is was referred to last year.



    All services will strengthen it's market position (I think it still leads in the dedicated media extender market). I would say not needing a computer is a big draw but configuring broadband without one? How does that work?



    Quote:
    Originally Posted by solipsism View Post


    I'm curious how Apple got all those studios to agree. With Amazon adding DRM-free music that iTunes isn't getting, Netflix offering streaming content, and Jobs stating that the iTS movie sales and AppleTV sales weren't as good as they expected, I wonder if Jobs had to eat some humble pie to get these contracts signed.



    I think it's because online digital video isn't really selling and Apple are in the best position to kick-start the market with initiatives such as an all-video ipod lineup (except shuffle) and a revamped AppleTV. Apple are too powerful in music and needed reigning in a bit hence the delay in non-DRM music. I'm not convinced AmazonMP3 is actually doing all that well either - most technophile anti-DRMers steal the stuff anyway.



    McD
  • Reply 58 of 70
    mcdavemcdave Posts: 1,927member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by wolfneuralnet View Post


    Man, that would be a real bummer - there is no difference between downloading it to the AppleTV and to the computer, why would they restrict the HD to the AppleTV??? I would have to see some evidence of this before I believed it... (not that they wouldn't do something like this...)



    I thought he said the whole point was that you could finish watching it on another device (like another computer???)



    Why would you buy an AppleTV if you were happy to watch it on your desktop? If you have a notebook, plug it into your TV (though I'm not sure you can download to iTunes rentals on your Mac/PC directly), HD won't work on your iPod. Any other devices?



    I think rentals need to be restricted as surely you could just keep an original copy elsewhere on your drive and keep adding it to the library each time you wanted to watch it. And I'm sure there were some heavy restrictions on multiple device usage.





    McD
  • Reply 59 of 70
    teckstudteckstud Posts: 6,476member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by bikertwin View Post


    Because of DRM/HDMI. Your computer doesn't have an HDMI connector; an AppleTV does.



    ???? Your computer doesn't have any cables but you can still watch movies via iTune or front row. iTunes would simply need an yet another upgrade. Please explain.
  • Reply 60 of 70
    teckstudteckstud Posts: 6,476member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by McDave View Post


    Why would you buy an AppleTV if you were happy to watch it on your desktop? If you have a notebook, plug it into your TV (though I'm not sure you can download to iTunes rentals on your Mac/PC directly), HD won't work on your iPod. Any other devices?



    I think rentals need to be restricted as surely you could just keep an original copy elsewhere on your drive and keep adding it to the library each time you wanted to watch it. And I'm sure there were some heavy restrictions on multiple device usage.





    McD



    A simple firmware upgrade would solve this. i thought everything is to be played everywhere like the commercials go?
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