Apple launches unprecedented campaign across storefronts to hype iTunes debut of 'Star Wars'
All six "Star Wars" films are being promoted and can be preordered from the App Store, iBookstore, and iTunes Store, as Apple is heavily hyping this Friday's digital debut of the legendary film series.
A new "Featured" section for "Star Wars" content can be found across all of Apple's major digital storefronts on both iOS and OS X. Tapping the advertisement brings users to a landing page with a plethora of "Star Wars" content available from across Apple's digital businesses.
The listing is particularly unique because it allows users to preorder the films from within the App Store or iBookstore. Typically, content from Apple's different storefronts is segregated, meaning movie purchases must be made from the iTunes Store and not the App Store.
Set to arrive on iTunes on Friday, all six films from the "Star Wars" saga are available to preorder for $19.99 each. They are:
Beyond the upcoming digital release of the films, Apple is also promoting the wide range of "Star Wars" content available from its other storefronts. Content based on the films is available in the form of apps, TV shows, music, ringtones, and books.
Disney announced on Monday that all six "Star Wars" films would go digital for the first time this week. The movies are not exclusive to Apple, as they will be available on other storefronts such as Google Play and Xbox Video.
When they launch on Friday, customers will not be able to rent the films, as they are only available for purchase. And the digital release represents the "Special Edition" versions of the film, with enhanced special effects and new scenes that have been derided by some "Star Wars" purists.
A new "Featured" section for "Star Wars" content can be found across all of Apple's major digital storefronts on both iOS and OS X. Tapping the advertisement brings users to a landing page with a plethora of "Star Wars" content available from across Apple's digital businesses.
The listing is particularly unique because it allows users to preorder the films from within the App Store or iBookstore. Typically, content from Apple's different storefronts is segregated, meaning movie purchases must be made from the iTunes Store and not the App Store.
Set to arrive on iTunes on Friday, all six films from the "Star Wars" saga are available to preorder for $19.99 each. They are:
- The Phantom Menace
- Attack of the Clones
- Revenge of the Sith
- A New Hope
- The Empire Strikes Back
- Return of the Jedi
Beyond the upcoming digital release of the films, Apple is also promoting the wide range of "Star Wars" content available from its other storefronts. Content based on the films is available in the form of apps, TV shows, music, ringtones, and books.
Disney announced on Monday that all six "Star Wars" films would go digital for the first time this week. The movies are not exclusive to Apple, as they will be available on other storefronts such as Google Play and Xbox Video.
When they launch on Friday, customers will not be able to rent the films, as they are only available for purchase. And the digital release represents the "Special Edition" versions of the film, with enhanced special effects and new scenes that have been derided by some "Star Wars" purists.
Comments
I've already bought the entire series on VHS (originals only, as they were the only ones that existed) and Blu-Ray (which I regret). Even though I'd prefer this digital version for utility, I really don't want to pay 3 times for the same movies (although, knowing Lucas he changed a bunch of stuff for the iTunes version)
It should be noted that a series of new comic books will be released, tying together the 30-year gap between the end of ROTJ and The Force Awakens.
Those must be fan films or something. Attack of the Clones? Huh.
And the comics are stupid. Thrawn Trilogy wins by default.
No original unaltered trilogy? No thanks.
I have a LaserDisc set in storage. Time to dust it off and digitize it.
Purchase, I will not. Too expensive right now. Wait I will, for the bundle price. Hopefully at the 60 buck mark.
No original unaltered trilogy? No thanks.
I have a LaserDisc set in storage. Time to dust it off and digitize it.
Harmy's Star Wars Despecialized Edition is fantastic. I strongly suggest you track it down.
Your "Yoda speak" comment was almost perfect. . Just need the end to solidify.
Here let me help you out.
Yoda looks across the swamp
"Purchase, I will not. Too expensive right now it is. Wait I will, for the bundle price. 60 buck mark, is our only hope."
Obi-wan appears
"These Special Editons aren't worth the effort. Those aren't the movies you're looking for. The moment they were released, I felt a great disturbance in the Force, as if millions of voices suddenly cried out in terror and were suddenly silenced. George Lucas... You will never find a more wretched man of scum and villainy."
Yoda,
"Shut up, you will. OOYL"
Trust me, it's better here without them.
The prequels I always imagined as a youth followed the adventures of Anakin Skywalker and Obi-Wan Kenobi as fighter pilots during the Clone Wars, in a sort of World War I setting (remember that much of the imagery and theme of the "original trilogy" came from WWII dogfights). Back in the 70s of course no one knew what were the Clone Wars or who was involved. By the end of the third movie, the audience should have had the impression that Obi-Wan and Anakin were still good friends or that Anakin apparently lost his life to Darth Vader, which would've maintained the shocks revealed in Empire. There was never a need to see Anakin as a child and the audience never needed to see Anakin become Vader. Lucas screwed the storyline up because he didn't care about any of it anymore. The guy got rich and he lost interest. It's a shame he didn't sell his company after Return of the Jedi.
Episodes 1, 2 & 3 do not exist for me.
Empire strikes back ftw
I've already bought the entire series on VHS and Blu-Ray (which I regret). Even though I'd prefer this digital version for utility, I really don't want to pay 3 times for the same movies (although, knowing Lucas he changed a bunch of stuff for the iTunes version)
With a blu-ray version I own the content and can share it with anyone I please. Plus it has superior video and true uncompressed audio.
Until your blu-ray player goes caput in 7 years and they've stopped making them!
Offer the latest movies for rent at the same time they are released and iTunes will be an incredible success.
(The price must of course be below $5 for this to work.)
Forget about selling movies, that won't work.
They need to sell a bundle in the "Machete Order", 4-5-2-3-6.
until I ripped my bluray onto a harddrive and saved in a cloud
How is this different from owning it on iTunes? Unless your digital blu-ray ripped library is just like 50 TB of data?
edit: also, if your concern is "owning" the blu-ray versus the "licensing" of digital content, then isn't ripping the blu-ray illegal (because you have to decrypt the blu-ray to do it)? Or is that only in Canada?
Those were great books. Too bad they killed GA Thrawn off. As for the movies, it's a shame the couldn't release the un-special additions. Han did shoot first.
Not $5, but will for $6, and $10 respectively.
http://forums.appleinsider.com/t/184040/sony-renting-the-interview-for-6-on-youtube-google-play-xbox-crackle-but-not-itunes
http://forums.appleinsider.com/t/185098/jennifer-lawrence-bradley-cooper-film-serena-hits-apples-itunes-store-3-weeks-before-theaters-u
I'm guessing this is a Disney whiff. If you look at their AppleTV icons they are also a crime committed by the same clueless designer. Each one has "watch" written across the icon, cluttering up their own channel logos. Pretty sure even the dumbest of children can figure out that DisneyXD is for "watching"... ya know... like on the TV.
Gunna have to force choke Goofie at the next shareholders meeting.