http://www.apple.com/itunes/store/movies.html - $12.99 for preorders and new releases in the first week. - $14.99 for newer titles - $9.99 for older titles - 640x480 resolution So I have to ask...Why bother? If I am spending as much as, or more than, a DVD for the download, why can't I get a version to put on DVD and have it look at least decent. 640x480 will look like ass on any large screen tv and that's if the file will allow itself to be converted to DVD.
It won't last long. What a poor idea. Apple is trying to become a multimedia power house, but this is the wrong approach.
Folks with video ipods will eat this stuff up. Unfortunately, as Joe mentioned, there are lots of drawbacks. For starters, such low resolutions mean these files will be unwatchable in monitors and or large screen televisions. Additionally, these files will be DRMed to death, so don't even think about getting them converted to DVD; not until someone figures out a way to "unlock" the file(s).
It's the UMD all over again. I agree some video ipod users will probably fall for the bait, but just like UMD, the price is not justified for such limited use. They need to slash that price dramatically, and make the resolution soley for video ipods. Then they may find a market. This digital media age is still trying to find it's place. It was a lot easier when you only had the option of purchasing physical copies. When you cut out packaging,discs, and quality, how can you justify the same cost?
Universal do a service over here where you download WMDRMed copies for both your computer and portable player, which are followed in the post by a DVD a couple of weeks later. Its a fair bit more expensive then this, but it sounds like a better solution if your into this sort of thing and are too much of a law fearing noob to rip the stuff yourself.
I see your UMD argument, but I think this is a whole new monster. Why is it that legions of ipod owners flock to whatever new offering Apple has? Ipods are trendy little things and nothing pleases Madison Avenue, trust-fund yuppies more than boasting about their newest "toy". I'm not saying that ALL ipod users are like this, but the people I described are going to be the first suckers lining up to buy these movies. Others will eventually follow.
The folks Elvin is talking about are the only folks I can think of that would like this new product. And, just like us vocal fans and Transformers, I'd (ROUGHLY) figure that's another situation where the religiously devoted Ipodites only make up like %10-%20 max of the income Apple gets (probably even less, because Apple is so big.) I dunno...with the specs they've put on these movies, you can almost hear them marketing with the tagline "This may not be for everyone." Hell, I can go to blockbuster and buy the same used titles for even less.
Amazon launched a movie store last week too. I don't see the appeal of purchasing my films at a lower quality and owning them digitally. There's a sense of satisfaction found in building a physical DVD library on a shelf. Amazon was in a position where you could buy a movie, watch it instantly, and have the DVD mailed to you in a couple days; why they didn't go that route I have no idea. Given the low quality and hard drive space these movies take up, Apple should be renting them, not selling. When I can rent a movie and have it immediately streamed to my television in High Definition, we'll talk business.
I wouldn't underestimate them. They'll buy lots and lots of movies, you can bet on it. Additionally, there are lots of people that fit into that demographic; more than you think.
When they work the kinks out of that supposed full sized touch screen thing, then I'll give it a try. But until then, video iPod ain't worth shit to me. This does however lend a good time to put money in Apple *runs to broker*.
This will fly becuase it is iPod related. There are people out there that will buy anything iPod. I know of people where I work who have bought iPods and don't even have a computer! So, I can see this working.
...i'll stick with adding my own movies...watching naruto was awesome....except for the super small subtitles.
Thing is... there aren't actually that many movies from them to buy. Disney are pretty much the only major studio to have signed up. That'll kill it. Interesting to note that Sky Movies have pulled their movie download service this week until MS patches it's DRM after it got cracked last week. Phazer
Joe... 640 x 480 is considered standard def TV. DVDs are in 720 x 480, so it shouldn't look substantially worse than a DVD on a big screen. Having said that, I wouldn't use this service myself. Movies are different than music for me...with music I don't mind downloading a song off of iTunes, but with movies I enjoy flipping through all the extra features on a DVD after I've watched the movie. I AM intrigued by the iTV device for other reasons though. If you can rip your own video and stream it to your tv, and I assume you'd be able to, that has a lot of appeal. My kids' DVDs are scratched to hell from their handling them. I really like the idea of putting on, say, a half hour of randomized Looney Tunes for them, and keeping the original media in good condition.
