Apple delivers movies to iTunes Stores in UK, Canada

Posted:
in iPod + iTunes + AppleTV edited January 2014
Apple on Wednesday announced that movies from several major film studios are now available for sale and rent on its iTunes Stores in the UK and Canada.



Among the studios serving up films on the UK store are 20th Century Fox, The Walt Disney Studios, Paramount Pictures, Warner Bros. Entertainment, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios Inc. (MGM), Sony Pictures Television International and Lionsgate UK.



Apple said the service is already pre-loaded with 700 films available for rent or purchase, with titles available for purchase on the same day as their DVD release, including favorites such as ?Hitman,? ?I Am Legend,? ?National Treasure 2: Book of Secrets? and ?Into the Wild.? Over 100 titles are also available in high definition for viewing on a widescreen TV with Apple TV.



?We?re kicking off movies on the iTunes Store in the UK with over 700 films for purchase and rent,? said Eddy Cue, Apple?s vice president of iTunes. ?We think customers in the UK are going to love being able to enjoy their favorite movies on their iPod, iPhone or on a widescreen TV with Apple TV.



In Canada, Apple said over 1,200 films are available for rent or purchase, including 200 titles in high definition. Movies are available from all the same studios as those in the UK, with the addition of those from Canadian film house Maple Pictures.



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.



In the UK, iTunes movies are available at £6.99 for library title purchases and £10.99 for new releases. iTunes Movie Rentals are £2.49 for library title rentals and £3.49 for new releases, and high definition versions are priced at just one pound more.



In Canada, iTunes movies are available at CAN$9.99 for catalog title purchases, CAN$14.99 for recent releases and CAN$19.99 for new releases. iTunes Movie Rentals are CAN$3.99 for library titles and CAN$4.99 for new releases, with high definition rental versions priced just one dollar more.



«1

Comments

  • Reply 1 of 31
    bsenkabsenka Posts: 799member
    TWENTY BUCKS for a digital download movie? Are they nuts?





    I'd buy the odd one if they were around the current rental price to purchase, but these prices just send me right back to the Pirate Bay.
  • Reply 2 of 31
    mark2005mark2005 Posts: 1,158member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by AppleInsider View Post


    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.



    48 hours! When will this come to the US store?



    (Note: I recognize that UK and Canada are paying higher prices compared to US. I don't think it's higher because of the 48 hours, but simply that the cost in those countries for content is usually higher.)
  • Reply 3 of 31
    pmoeserpmoeser Posts: 80member
    Why are we waiting?

    Why-y are we waiting

    Why are we waiting oh

    why why why....



    Hello!?!



    Remember us!?!



    The coalition of the willing!?!



    iPhones and movies please!?!
  • Reply 4 of 31
    I've read these forums for a long, long time but never decided to register. Occasionally, someone has said something that I have feverishly disagreed with and made me want to join in... but I resisted. :P However, this is so fantastic and so very annoying all at once.



    I have wanted an Apple TV since the idea of renting movies came about. I found that to be a very exciting prospect... and quickly realised that Apple didn't have any contracts in place to offer films in the UK, so I decided not to bother. And now, they have released them! I think the pricing of rentals is perfectly fair... however, and I'm not one that usually moans about how everything is cheaper in the US and boo hoo, not at all. However... the US received a *price cut* for this product. Not just a lower price from the off, but a price cut. Is the UK product better? Is it lined with platinum? No! I am desperate to get an Apple TV now... but I simply won't until they cut the price. It's £199, or $229... that's one hell of a difference. It really is.
  • Reply 5 of 31
    pmoeserpmoeser Posts: 80member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Stuart Kirby View Post


    I've read these forums for a long, long time but never decided to register. Occasionally, someone has said something that I have feverishly disagreed with and made me want to join in... but I resisted. :P However, this is so fantastic and so very annoying all at once.



    I have wanted an Apple TV since the idea of renting movies came about. I found that to be a very exciting prospect... and quickly realised that Apple didn't have any contracts in place to offer films in the UK, so I decided not to bother. And now, they have released them! I think the pricing of rentals is perfectly fair... however, and I'm not one that usually moans about how everything is cheaper in the US and boo hoo, not at all. However... the US received a *price cut* for this product. Not just a lower price from the off, but a price cut. Is the UK product better? Is it lined with platinum? No! I am desperate to get an Apple TV now... but I simply won't until they cut the price. It's £199, or $229... that's one hell of a difference. It really is.



    Try living in Australia where the AUD$ is currently at about US$0.95!!



    40GB AppleTV AUD$449!!! 160GB AUD$579!!!!



    In the US they are US$229 (AUD$239!!!??!!!!) and US$329 (AUD$343!!!!!!???!!!)



    And we can't even use the damn things properly!!!



    No movies or TV shows on offer!



    The shipping is from Asia not the US, so that can't be the reason...



    Maybe ours are lined with oil and gold and platinum, because that is one hefty markup...
  • Reply 6 of 31
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by pmoeser View Post


    Try living in Australia where the AUD$ is currently at about US$0.95!!



    40GB AppleTV AUD$449!!! 160GB AUD$579!!!!



    In the US they are US$229 (AUD$239!!!??!!!!) and US$329 (AUD$343!!!!!!???!!!)



    And we can't even use the damn things properly!!!



    No movies or TV shows on offer!



    The shipping is from Asia not the US, so that can't be the reason...



    Maybe ours are lined with oil and gold and platinum, because that is one hefty markup...





    It's really poxy. I don't understand why this is the case. If they're issuing such hefty price cuts, it should be global. I agree, though, prior to today, the Apple TV in the UK wasn't much use, in my opinion. However, now it is... I'll resist temptation but it's very disappointing.
  • Reply 7 of 31
    stevepeckstevepeck Posts: 13member
    Well WhoopyDo! about time something decent-ish came to Apple Uk.

    Think l'll stick to PirateBay too, they cost nothing.

    Apple are as bad as Microsoft for ripping the public off.
  • Reply 8 of 31
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by stevepeck View Post


    Well WhoopyDo! about time something decent-ish came to Apple Uk.

    Think l'll stick to PirateBay too, they cost nothing.

    Apple are as bad as Microsoft for ripping the public off.





    I think the movie prices themselves are OK. Bit on the steep side for purchasing, but I think the rentals are quite fair.
  • Reply 9 of 31
    abster2coreabster2core Posts: 2,501member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by stevepeck View Post


    Well WhoopyDo! about time something decent-ish came to Apple Uk.

    Think l'll stick to PirateBay too, they cost nothing.

    Apple are as bad as Microsoft for ripping the public off.



    So it wouldn't have mattered what the cost was. Stealing is cheaper for you and as a consequence your action is making it more expensive for us honest folks.



    Why the dis on Apple? Each country has control over their media by authorized distributors which are in effect controlled by the respective laws of the land.



    Apple only gets a portion of the prices which are negotiated individually, country by country.



    Keep in mind that in some cases taxes may affect the price and are not always posted or included, if any are applicable at all. Again, that is determined by the country, not Apple or the film company.



    You really don't know much about Steve Jobs or you wouldn't have made that last statement. But hey, ignorance is bliss.
  • Reply 10 of 31
    aegisdesignaegisdesign Posts: 2,914member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by AppleInsider View Post


    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.



    According to Macworld UK, it's only 24 hours, not 48.



    http://www.macworld.co.uk/ipod-itune...S&NewsID=21541
  • Reply 11 of 31
    webheadwebhead Posts: 75member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by bsenka View Post


    TWENTY BUCKS for a digital download movie? Are they nuts?





    I'd buy the odd one if they were around the current rental price to purchase, but these prices just send me right back to the Pirate Bay.



    Hello all, I am a long time reader, first time poster. I totally agree with the high price complaint for buying movies on iTunes Canada. I have been waiting a long time for Movies on iTunes Canada but am disappointed with the purchase price. The rental fee is fair but $19.99 for a new release purchase? What are they thinking? I can already purchase new releases for $4.99 with my Bell ExpressVu satellite PVR, and they don't disappear from my PVR after I watch them. Why would I pay $19.00 for the same movie on iTunes Canada?



    I hope the purchase price comes down soon, then maybe I will think about buying.
  • Reply 12 of 31
    virgil-tb2virgil-tb2 Posts: 1,416member
    Well I guess the ridiculously high prices have already been mentioned, but here's another point that the media execs and possibly Apple is not thinking about.



    DVD's and CD's last a long, long, time with only minimal care. That means that a lot of people (hint: myself and pretty much everyone I know), buys the majority of their physical media second hand at prices much lower than these. I have over a thousand DVD's in my collection that I bought at prices between five and ten dollars each, same for CD's.



    There is no way that these prices are competitive with what people out there are actually paying for things, regardless of the "list" price of DVD's. On the music side, all albums are about five or ten bucks, which is what you can get them for as physical media. These movie prices need to be brought more in line with the realities of the market, and that includes the re-sale market when we are talking about media that may last for a hundred years before wearing out. .
  • Reply 13 of 31
    webheadwebhead Posts: 75member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Virgil-TB2 View Post


    Well I guess the ridiculously high prices have already been mentioned, but here's another point that the media execs and possibly Apple is not thinking about.



    DVD's and CD's last a long, long, time with only minimal care. That means that a lot of people (hint: myself and pretty much everyone I know), buys the majority of their physical media second hand at prices much lower than these. I have over a thousand DVD's in my collection that I bought at prices between five and ten dollars each, same for CD's.



    There is no way that these prices are competitive with what people out there are actually paying for things, regardless of the "list" price of DVD's. On the music side, all albums are about five or ten bucks, which is what you can get them for as physical media. These movie prices need to be brought more in line with the realities of the market, and that includes the re-sale market when we are talking about media that may last for a hundred years before wearing out. .





    Totally agree with you. I buy previously viewed DVDs too, I also purchase new release movies on my satellite PVR and then record them to DVD using a home DVD recorder (that may be illegal but I don't think it should be) which I can then rip with handbrake for viewing on a video ipod or iphone. They will definitely need to address the price issue to compete. I mean for hell sake, these movie studios are already selling these products 3- 4 times before they even get to iTunes and digital PVRs (theater release, dollar theater release, DVD sale, DVD rental) how many times do they need to sell a product before it becomes shameful exploitation, and a digital download should be much cheaper than a physical DVD sale.
  • Reply 14 of 31
    mark2005mark2005 Posts: 1,158member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by aegisdesign View Post


    According to Macworld UK, it's only 24 hours, not 48.



    http://www.macworld.co.uk/ipod-itune...S&NewsID=21541



    Apple's own press releases still say 48 hours. I'm more apt to believe Apple's release than MacWorld UK.
  • Reply 15 of 31
    Have been waiting for this news since Apple announced it at Mac World, even went out and bought an ATV in preparation, but what an anti-climax. £10.99 for new releases or £4.49 for a recent rental. Not on your nelly Apple. Rip-off TV.



    Cheap ATV going on Ebay. Any takers??
  • Reply 16 of 31
    SpamSandwichSpamSandwich Posts: 33,407member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by webhead View Post


    Hello all, I am a long time reader, first time poster. I totally agree with the high price complaint for buying movies on iTunes Canada. I have been waiting a long time for Movies on iTunes Canada but am disappointed with the purchase price. The rental fee is fair but $19.99 for a new release purchase? What are they thinking? I can already purchase new releases for $4.99 with my Bell ExpressVu satellite PVR, and they don't disappear from my PVR after I watch them. Why would I pay $19.00 for the same movie on iTunes Canada?



    I hope the purchase price comes down soon, then maybe I will think about buying.



    Have any of you stopped to consider it might be due to protectionist measures either enforced by the Canadian government, or some kind of demand by the studios? Apple doesn't randomly set pricing.
  • Reply 17 of 31
    vinney57vinney57 Posts: 1,162member
    Great news! Something else I can distract myself with while I should be working.



    If the prices are too much for you then don't buy them. It will be a combination of producer prices and tax that dictates the price, not Apple. The studios are hard-ass about these things, particularly in Europe. They are trying to avoid handing Steve ALL the crown jewels until the game is completely lost.



    For me its just like the music... an addition to the retail mix that is super convenient. A couple of quid either way really doesn't register.
  • Reply 18 of 31
    leonardleonard Posts: 528member
    I was ready to say $19.99 is reasonable for buying movies, but I don't buy movies. It seems Futureshop sells new releases for under $25.00, so if you're only getting a digital copy, a price under $12.99 would seem more reasonable for new releases.



    Quote:
    Originally Posted by webhead


    Hello all, I am a long time reader, first time poster. I totally agree with the high price complaint for buying movies on iTunes Canada. I have been waiting a long time for Movies on iTunes Canada but am disappointed with the purchase price. The rental fee is fair but $19.99 for a new release purchase? What are they thinking? I can already purchase new releases for $4.99 with my Bell ExpressVu satellite PVR, and they don't disappear from my PVR after I watch them. Why would I pay $19.00 for the same movie on iTunes Canada?



    I hope the purchase price comes down soon, then maybe I will think about buying.



    You're not purchasing from Bell for $4.99, you're renting. That you record and keep a copy for your own personal use, is probably a grey area. But comparing renting to purchasing doesn't make sense.
  • Reply 19 of 31
    MarvinMarvin Posts: 15,309moderator
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Mr Underhill View Post


    £10.99 for new releases or £4.49 for a recent rental. Not on your nelly Apple. Rip-off TV.



    That's ridiculous. You can get a £4 per month subscription to lovefilm.com, which Amazon are linking up with and you can get 2 DVDs per month for an unlimited time to watch. You could even copy them if you wanted to really.



    Digital downloads only make sense when they are cheaper than their physical counterpart or there are other advantages such as instant access, more freedom to watch anywhere, more selection, easier to find what you want. Apple TV offers some of these advantages over a local Blockbuster but not over websites like lovefilm which has a much larger selection of films.



    Ok so you'd have to wait a day to get it but it would still take nearly that long to download a movie over my internet connection anyway. Apple's poor selection alone makes the service utterly useless IMO:



    lovefilm: 65,000+ titles

    Apple: 1,200?



    To have to pay close to £200 for the box on top of that just kills the idea. You can pick up a DVD player for £20 and you can get unlimited rentals for £15 a month no time limits. If you add up the £200 ATV, you could get a DVD player and 12 months of unlimited DVD rentals and that's before even counting the cost of buying/renting any movies from Apple.
  • Reply 20 of 31
    xanthohappyxanthohappy Posts: 102member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by mark2005 View Post


    Apple's own press releases still say 48 hours. I'm more apt to believe Apple's release than MacWorld UK.



    Not only that, Apple's usage rights page says 48 hours as well:

    http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1928
Sign In or Register to comment.