Apple Movie Rentals: MacWorld keynote announcements

Newsflash! — Apple has done what everyone was expecting them to do and added movie rentals to iTunes in an update available immediately. The update takes iTunes to version 7.6 and also requires Quicktime 7.4 which is also available now.

[eminimalls products="apple tv"]

In contrast to its woes in the TV show download market Apple has managed to get the support of all the major movie studios including:

• Fox
• WB
• Disney
• Paramount
• Universal
• Sony
• Touchstone
• Miramax
• MGM
• New Line
• Lions Gate

Steve Jobs claims that by the end of February the system will contain more than 1,000 movies all available for download 30 days after their DVD release.

The system works by enabling a user to select and download a movie either from a Mac or PC or from an Apple TV box which can also download HD versions. Normal resolution rentals are priced at $2.99 for older films and $399 for newreleases. HD versions downloaded directly to an Apple TV box will be priced at $3.99 for older films and $499 for recent movies.

Usage is governed by the DRM system which Apple already uses to control content download from the iTunes store and restricts playback in the following way:

• Once you download a movie you have up to 30 days to start watching it
• Once you start watching the movie you have only twenty four hours to finish watching it
• Within that twenty four hours you can watch the movie as many times as you like

Movies downloaded using a Mac or PC can be watched almost immediately (within 30 seconds of the download starting if you have a modern broadband connection). The movies can be downloaded to an Apple TV for watching on your household TV set or to an iPod for watchin on the move. Steve has suggested that a movie can be moved from a Mac or PC to another device and continue to watch the movie there picking up where you stopped.

On the other hand movies downloaded using an Apple TV can only be played on Apple TV. This means that you cannot watch a HD resolution rental movie on a Mac or PC. Apple claims that the HD movies are 720p DVD quality with Dolby Digital 5.1 while the normal res movies are “near DVD” quality.

The rental service is available to user in the United States immediatel. Other parts of the World will have to wait for international releases “later in the year” as legal arrangements for each country are sorted out.

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