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Paramount joins Apple for iTunes movie rentals: Star Trek on board |
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Written by Derek Kessler on
Wednesday, 16 January 2008
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 In a concession to consumers and movie studios, Apple has decided to allow movie rentals on its popular iTunes store. Previously movies were available for purchase and download for prices ranging from $9.99 to $14.99. Now you can rent a new release movie for $3.99, or library titles for just $2.99. Every major studio, including Paramount Pictures, has signed on to the rental plan. Right now the six original series Star Trek movies are available for rental.
 The move came under pressure from consumers and movie studios, and dissapointing sales of movies. While Apple has sold more digital download movies than any other online distributor, CEO and founder Steve Jobs said that they were still not happy with the statistics. Surveys showed that customers did not want to spend the $9.99 on a movie they would watch just once and that they would rather pay less for a film they would have to give up after a period.
Apple's solution came in the form of rentals. The system allows you to keep a film for 30 days after you download it, and once you start watching it you have 24 hours to finish. The movie can be transferred to iPods and Apple TVs for viewing as well.
To test this out, I rented Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country. After a few clicks and entering my password, the download started immediately. Apple has designed the new rental download system to allow you to start viewing the movie before the download had finished. On my broadband cable internet connection I was able to start watching Star Trek about 30 seconds into the download. The total download for most movies will amount to 1.5GB, with a typical broadband connection it will take about 30 minutes to complete the download.
The movies are downloaded at DVD resolution, which looked pretty decent on my 15" laptop screen. An update to the Apple TV, due out in about two weeks, will enable rental and purchase downloads straight through your television (assuming that you have an Apple TV). Apple is also adding HD movie rentals to the iTunes store (for $1 more), though right now they will only be available through the Apple TV. They plan to have 100 HD titles available by launch time, with many more planned to be added. It is not likely that HD Star Trek movies will be available at launch, though they may be added at a later point.
Currently available for rental at $2.99 apiece on iTunes are Star Trek: The Motion Picture, Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan, Star Trek III: The Search for Spock, Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home, Star Trek V: The Final Frontier, and Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country. These, and the other four Trek movies, are still available for purchase at $9.99.
View: Star Trek movies on iTunes
Download: Apple iTunes
Discuss: TrekUnited Forum
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