Comments on: Apple, movie studios realize people want new releases when they’re new

By: Netflix Watch Instantly for the Mac is fast approaching. Will Apple respond? » VentureBeat

Wed, 01 Oct 2008 20:55:35 +0000

[...] movie store and Apple TV offerings more compelling. Apple took a big step earlier this year by offering movie rentals through the store and on the device for the first time, but selection is still rather limited, and [...]

By: Can hi-def porn save Vudu? » VentureBeat

Can hi-def porn save Vudu? » VentureBeat — Thu, 07 Aug 2008 20:19:53 +0000

[...] faces competition from many of the big guns in the digital entertainment industry. Not only has Apple significantly improved the Apple TV over the past year, Sony, Microsoft and a new player, Roku thanks to the help of Netflix’s [...]

By: Sony to start digitally distributing its movies before they come out on DVD » VentureBeat

Thu, 26 Jun 2008 10:42:52 +0000

[...] This changed a few months later as both Apple and the studios realized that people wanted to rent new release when they were actually well, …. [...]

By: The Netflix Roku box tosses the freshly emerged Apple TV right back in the woods — and they’re thicker » VentureBeat

Tue, 20 May 2008 05:51:43 +0000

[...] to move fast to counter this offering. Perhaps another Apple TV price cut and a lot of talk about streaming new releases (which Netflix won’t have) to your TV could be the strategy short-term. An option of [...]

By: zaver

zaver — Mon, 19 May 2008 05:33:57 +0000

gggggggggggggggh

By: Apple copying the Wii concept for Apple TV gaming? » VentureBeat

Apple copying the Wii concept for Apple TV gaming? » VentureBeat — Thu, 08 May 2008 18:36:43 +0000

[...] major movie studios to bring rentals to its Apple TV device, it turned the device from a dud into a potential player in the living room. “Potential” is the keyword there. It’s a nice device, but it [...]

By: MG Siegler

MG Siegler — Thu, 01 May 2008 16:18:08 +0000

@Lee – Yes, Dominic is right, you can actually start watching the movies only a few minutes (or less depending on your connection) after they stop downloading.

@Jeff – I too still think iTunes rental prices are a bit steep — which I why I loved the idea for a 99 cent movie of the week, as well as the thought I expressed in the post, a rent-before-you buy system. I could justify both the rental and the purchase if perhaps I rented a movie for $3, and then could buy it for $10-12 more (after subtracting the $3 I paid for the rental) if I really liked it.

By: Dominic

Dominic — Thu, 01 May 2008 12:54:58 +0000

Lee Coursey:

Good question. I think that used to be the case, but it seems like the situation has changed. I started using Amazon’s Unbox service a month or two ago with the same concerns that you express. However, since I can start watching the movie before it has fully finished downloading, I can be watching in less than 5-10 minutes. That time certainly beats driving to a Blockbuster (especially since I don’t own a car)…

By: Jeff

Jeff — Thu, 01 May 2008 12:40:46 +0000

I would love to rent movies via AppleTV, but can’t seem to get myself to pay $3 for Ground Hog Day and $4 for I Am Legend. I can’t bring myself to do it when I can go to the Red Box kiosk 2 minutes from my house and get the same new releases for a dollar and I have no wait. I will not pay for TV shows since most are free on the web anyway. Like the old argument, I can justify the mac mini first and I don’t know why they are not marketing to me because of it.

By: Lee Coursey

Lee Coursey — Thu, 01 May 2008 10:46:05 +0000

What is the actual reach of iTunes movie downloads? What percentage of iTunes users are using the service? In my case, I find it’s MUCH faster for me to drive down the road to get a movie from old brick-and-mortar Blockbuster than to wait overnight for a movie download. All this, and I’m a huge geek with an iPhone and everything. I just don’t get the appeal of “Ooh! I want to see that movie… 5 hours from now when it stops downloading!”