Apple TV To Get Digital Movie Rentals
Jun 11th, 2007 | By James Lewin | Category: Digital Movie Store, Digital Video Downloads, Video 
If Steve Jobs gets his way, iTunes and Apple TV may soon become the digital version of Blockbuster or Netflix.
Apple is working with Hollywood studios to make movies available for rental via iTunes, according to a story today in the Wall Street Journal. The rental service is being pitched aggressively by Apple, with titles to rent for $2.99 for a set number of days before expiring.
Apple has had little success persuading major studios to give up their new releases for sale on iTunes. Only Disney sells new movies through the service.
Studio concerns center on Apple’s copy-protection policies & pricing. Apple wants titles to be playable not just on the computer but also on a second device such as a video iPod. Some studios believe that policy might result in lost sales or rentals.
[…] Apple is trying to work out deals with Hollywood studios to let it rent movies as digital video downloads that could be viewed on iPods, computers or Apple TV. But, while Apple may want to become a digital alternative to Blockbuster, Hollywood execs are less than thrilled by the idea. According to a Fox News report, major movie studios are questioning Apple’s pricing and copy-protection. Some said that, because the film download market remains small, the studios don’t need to rush into a deal with Apple. […]