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Rental fees start at $2.99 for archived titles and $3.99 for new releases, with high definition versions costing a dollar more respectively.
More than 1,000 titles are projected to be available by the end of February.
So, how big a deal is this for Apple and Apple computer/device users?
It's hard for me to judge, partly because I've never rented a movie in any medium: VHS, DVD, Internet, in my life. Really. Used to borrow VHS flicks from the public library from time to time when the kids were little, but frankly, my wife and I live busy lives with little time for entertainment, and whatever's on TV for free (we don't bother with cable or satellite) will do for a low-effort bit of relaxation an hour or two a day (usually while eating).
Indeed, I am abidingly mystified as to where people find the time to get their money's worth from the astonishing array of home entertainment devices and services most homes (and increasingly cars) are equipped with.
Of course, under current circumstances, downloading movies is a moot point for us, stuck for the present with a slow, dialup Internet connection, and like the iPhone, iTunes movies are not yet available in Canada anyway. However, even when the convenience store half a mile away used to rent movies (they stopped some time ago due to lack of demand) we never bothered, and even if I had more spare time I like to think I'd prefer to spend more of it reading books than watching movies, although I do enjoy movies.
But that's just us - middle-aged, workaholic throwbacks. However, I found the results of an (unscientific) online poll on the Halifax Daily News Website over the weekend interesting.
The question was: "How often do you rent movies?" The responses:
At least once a week - 9%
At least once a month - 12%
Once in a while - 39%
Never - 40%
So I guess we're not that weird (at least in this context) after all, being in the largest category of respondents, but it's a bit of a head-scratcher to determine whether a demographic totaling just 21 percent who regularly or frequently rent movies would be encouraging or discouraging news for Apple's new movie-rental venture.
At least downloadable rentals will present substantially less logistical hassle than renting and returning flicks delivered via physical media. On the other hand, with physical media movie rentals available via kiosks in many locations for as little as $1.00 a day, you're paying a stiff price for convenience.
iTunes Movie Rentals will bring iTunes’ legendary ease of use to renting movies. Once a movie is rented, it starts downloading from the iTunes Store directly to iTunes on your computer or Apple TV. You will then have up to 30 days to start watching it, but once a movie has been started, the clock starts ticking, and you have 24 hours to finish before DRM disables it.
Apple also released new Apple TV software at Macworld Expo centered around iTunes Movie Rentals, which allows movie fans to rent and watch movies directly from a widescreen TV, with no computer required.
Another element of Apple's move into the movie business unveiled at Expo was a joint announcement with Twentieth Century Fox of Digital Copy for iTunes, which provides customers who purchase a DVD with an additional Digital Copy of the movie that can be transferred to iTunes and then viewed on a computer, iPod, iPhone or Apple TV. While only a handful of selections are available initially, Fox and Apple are planning to deliver many more DVDs with iTunes Digital Copy this year.
“Now movie fans can easily transfer a free copy of the movie they purchase on DVD into iTunes,” Steve Jobs enthused. Novel, definition of "free." Purchasing movies is a concept that pretty much eludes me, especially at the prices for movies on DVD. I'm not much for watching re-runs of anything, although children seem to enjoy endlessly re-watching favorite films.
However, if iTunes Digital Copy appeals, I guess it's a good deal, since it's value-added for no extra cost.
It will be interesting to see whether iTunes movies will be a success for Apple like iTunes music has been.
Movie rentals from the iTunes Store for Mac or Windows require iTunes 7.6, which is available as a free download immediately from:
http://www.itunes.com
iTunes Movie Rentals require a valid credit card with a billing address in the country of purchase. iTunes Movie Rentals are available in the US only and are $2.99 (US) for library titles and $3.99 (US) for new releases, and high definition versions are priced one dollar more with library titles at $3.99 (US) and new releases at $4.99 (US).
Charles W. Moore
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