Apple Computer Inc. is in the final stages of building an online service that will “allow easy and legal access to potentially thousands of movies on demand,” Dawn C. Chmielewski reports for The Los Angeles Times.
“Apple, which invigorated online music with its iTunes Music Store, will reveal plans next week to offer downloadable movies from the Walt Disney Co.,” Chmielewski reports.
Chmielewski reports that Apple’s plans were confirmed by several people familiar with them. Details such as pricing and title lineups were unclear Tuesday, as was information about how the service will work.
“Apple plans to unveil its movie service Sept. 12 with full-length features from Disney, the same initial partner it chose to inaugurate downloadable television shows last fall. Apple Chief Executive Steve Jobs is a Disney board member, a position he assumed when Disney bought his Pixar Animation Studios earlier this year.
Since Apple started offering video last fall, the company has sold 35 million clips — including music videos, classic TV shows and new installments of popular shows such as “Desperate Housewives” and “The Office.”
Disney declined to comment Tuesday and Apple spokesman Tom Neumayr said only that “we do not comment on rumors and speculation.”
In tandem with the movie service, Apple is expected to unveil a new version of the its popular iPod media player.
Other major studios are still in talks with Apple, according to people familiar with the discussions. The studios have reservations about the digital locks Apple uses to prevent unauthorized copying. They also don’t like Apple’s refusal to charge higher prices for new releases.
That issue has also been a contentious one between Apple and the record labels that sell their songs for a flat 99 cents on iTunes. Apple has long insisted that flat prices make things easier for customers. It does the same with its video offerings, charging $1.99 per clip. Labels and studios, however, argue that new songs or movies are more valuable than older material in their catalogs.
More info, including news about other services coming from Amazon, Sprint and others, here.
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It’s Showtime: Apple invites media to special event in San Francisco on September 12th – September 05, 2006
Analyst: Apple ‘iPhone’ finally ready for production – September 05, 2006
RUMOR: Apple plans blockbuster product announcements next Tuesday – September 04, 2006
RUMOR: Apple to launch iMac Core 2 Duo, movie store, new iPods on September 12th – September 04, 2006
RUMOR: Apple to debut 23-inch iMac Core 2 Duo on September 12th – September 01, 2006
It’s a beginning!
Before anyone says “Oh whoopee, The Little Mermaid and Old Yeller. Any movies for someone older than 12?”, remember that Walt Disney also owns Touchstone, Miramax, and Hollywood Pictures. (I think there’s others that aren’t coming to mind.)
Resolution? What’s the resolution? If it doesn’t look good on my flat panel HDTV it’s a non-starter. And how am I going to back all this stuff up? Oh, Time Machine, right.
Apple would be making a really smart move if they managed to make ALL Buena Vista movies ever made available starting on the 12th, and whatever TV shows they haven’t put on the iTunes Media Store yet, ’cause I’m sure there’s profit to be made with every movie on there considering there’s always fanboys with plenty of money who go to places like the iTunes Media Store.
Pixar too –
Lets wait and see before we speculate.
jjr, the whole point of speculation is that you do it before an event.
What’s the point of speculation once all the details are known?
Then follow the reviews and post mortems.
(and then you open your wallet!)
After the event we can all speculate on shipping times and Apple’s ability to match the supply to the demand.
I dont think it will be part of iTunes though. I am guessing a new application for movies. iTunes would be too cluttered.
Am I missing something here? If you have a tab for itunes and a tab for movies within the same interface why would it be too cluttered? Call it whatever you like.
What’s the resolution? Anything less than DVD and this service is strictly for iPods only.
I cant see them offering DVD quality movies? The size would just be too much.
I can get dressed, find my keys, grab my wallet, jump in the car, drive to the nearest store, ahhh screw it just download it.
US of G: Kind of like how music and videos already on iTunes are for iPods only (and macs). They’re also speculating that there’s going to be a new 23″ widescreen HD iMac coming out as well.
You can already download a full HD movie at 2 GB on BitTorrent(using a AVI, so with H264 this could be pushed down to 1.5 GB), so I don’t see this as an issue for broadband users. What the hell is Apple waiting to start offering their TV Shows in HD? The current resolution is appaling for any other screen than an iPod. And again it encourages piracy, as you can very easily download any TV show in full HD resolution on BitTorrent.
The current iTunes resolution (320×240) just doesn’t cut it.
PEOPLE BUY MUSIC. RENT MOVIES. Come on Steve, you know that.