Apple to Offer Movies as Rentals Only?
By David Walker |
July 18th, 2006
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If Think Secret is correct - and we all know how the rumor mill around Apple tends to be more miss than hit - Apple may announce that movies on iTunes will only be available as rentals. We’ve reported on the ongoing negotiations Steve Jobs has had with movie studios as of recent, trying to convince studio chiefs that movie downloads were the best path for both consumers and for the studios. It appears that Mr. Jobs - within a month of the Apple Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) - has capitulated to the demands of the movie studios by accepting a rentals only system for movies on iTunes.
This news, if true, will likely be reported at the WWDC on August 7th although to what extent remains to be seen. What should also be considered is the driving force behind wanting these movie downloads. Is Apple truly preparing to unveil the long-rumored Video iPod at the WWDC? The market for videos on the current iPod with Video is decent, but most of those videos are short films, television episodes or music videos. A full-length film would not only challenge the smallish screen of the current iPod, it would also challenge the lackluster battery life on the current unit. Could this news be a precursor to a new iPod announcement? With only a few weeks left to go, the WWDC may be far more interesting than originally anticipated.
AntiMonopoly – 5 hours 12 minutes ago