Apple introduces iTunes Movie Rentals

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Of particular focus to Apple is to make sure movies are available for rent through iTunes Movie Rentals within 30 days of their DVD release, says Jobs

By Peter Cohen | San Francisco | Wednesday, 16 January, 2008

Apple on Tuesday introduced iTunes Movie Rentals, a new feature of the iTunes Store that enables users to download movies and watch them for a short time rather than having to buy them. They will be priced at US$3.99 for new releases, US$2.99 for "library titles."

Apple has managed to get the support of all the major movie studios, including Fox, WB, Disney, Paramount, Universal and Sony, along with Touchstone, Miramax, MGM, New Line and Lions Gate. Apple CEO Steve Jobs said that the new service will launch in the US today, and later this year internationally. By the end of February over 1,000 movies will be available, he said. Of particular focus to Apple is to make sure movies are available for rent through iTunes Movie Rentals within 30 days of their DVD release.

The technology is tied to the Digital Rights Management (DRM) technology used by Apple for other content purchased from the iTunes store. You can download movies and watch them from a Mac or PC, and transfer them to an iPod or iPhone. What's more, Jobs indicates that you can transfer the movie to another device while you're in the middle of watching it, and pick up where you left off.

Jobs told attendees of his keynote speech at Macworld Expo this week that you have 30 days from the time of your "rental" transaction to start watching the movie, and after you start, you have 24 hours to finish watching it. Users with modern internet connections can count on starting movies within about 30 seconds of the download's initiation.

The new service is being offered as a free update for iTunes users in the US beginning today. Jobs said that Apple is "dying" to get this feature spread to other countries where the iTunes Store is already working.