Twentieth Century Fox and Apple today announced Digital Copy for iTunes, which provides customers who purchase a DVD with an additional Digital Copy of the movie that can be transferred to iTunes and then viewed on a PC or Mac, iPod with video, iPhone or on Apple TV.

“Now movie fans can easily transfer a free copy of the movie they purchase on DVD into iTunes,” said Steve Jobs, Apple’s CEO. “DVDs containing an iTunes Digital Copy allow movie fans to get a copy of their movie which can be viewed on a computer, iPod, iPhone or on Apple TV.”

This announcement isn’t a surprise, but it’s notable because it will result in pressure to kill off DRM’d movies, just like the success of Apple’s iTunes has forced the music industry to kill off DRM’d music.

The first DVD to make its debut with iTunes Digital Copy is the Special Edition DVD premiere of the Family Guy Star Wars parody, Family Guy Presents: Blue Harvest, which is being released in stores today. Fox and Apple are planning to deliver many more DVDs with iTunes Digital Copy this year.

“One of the most requested features DVD buyers have been asking for is the ability to get the movies they bought into their iTunes library,” said Jim Gianopulos, chairman and chief executive officer of Fox Filmed Entertainment.”We’re thrilled to offer such an incredibly simple way for our customers to get even more out of their DVD purchase, and we look forward to releasing many more DVDs this year with iTunes Digital Copy.”

The new iTunes Digital Copy provides a consumer friendly way to transfer a DVD purchase to a user’s iTunes library. Once a customer buys the DVD, they insert it into their computer, enter a unique code into iTunes and iTunes automatically copies the movie to their iTunes library within minutes. Customers own the iTunes Digital Copy of the movie and it has all of the same great viewing options as other iTunes Store video content, including the ability to be viewed on a computer, iPod with video, iPhone and Apple TV. Each DVD will only transfer its iTunes Digital Copy to one iTunes library.

One of the world’s largest producers and distributors of motion pictures, Fox Filmed Entertainment produces, acquires and distributes motion pictures throughout the world. These motion pictures are produced or acquired by the following units of FFE: Twentieth Century Fox, Fox 2000 Pictures, Fox Searchlight Pictures, Fox Atomic, and Twentieth Century Fox Animation. FFE also includes Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment, the worldwide marketing, sales and distribution company for all Fox film and television programming on VHS, DVD, Blu-ray Disc (BD) and Digital Copy as well as acquisitions and original productions.