“Apple is poised to announce it will start selling films from four major Hollywood studios for download in the UK as part of its iTunes internet service at prices on a par with DVDs,” Dan Sabbagh reports for The Times.

“The company intends to unveil agreements with Disney, the studio behind the Pirates of the Caribbean series and Paramount, the company behind the Indiana Jones picture,” Sabbagh reports. “Exact pricing details were not available last night, but studio sources said that they ‘would not want to undercut DVD prices.’ That would imply prices ranging anywhere from £6 to £25.”

“Twentieth Century Fox, the studio owned by News Corporation, the parent company of The Times, and Warner Brothers, the Time Warner company that is behind the Harry Potter series and the Matrix trilogy are the other two majors to sign up,” Sabbagh reports.

“It is the first time that Hollywood films have been available to Britons, although similar agreements have been struck for the United States already. Canada is also expected to be covered by the new agreement,” Sabbagh reports.

“Films will be available both for outright purchase and for rent… The exact date on which popular films will be made available is yet to be finalised, and the release schedule is up to the studios,” Sabbagh reports.

Full article here.