Apple to Release Movies on DVD Release Day, Confirmed

It's confirmed. Apple will release all new movies from 20th Century Fox, The Walt Disney Studios, Warner Bros., Paramount Pictures, Universal Studios Home Entertainment, Sony Pictures Entertainment, Lionsgate, Image Entertainment and First Look Studios on the same day as their DVD release, for $14.99. Full press release after the jump.

Purchase New Movies on iTunes Same Day as DVD Release CUPERTINO, Calif., May 1 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ — Apple(R) today announced that new movie releases from major film studios and premier independent studios are available for purchase on the iTunes(R) Store ( http://www.itunes.com ) on the same day as their DVD release. New releases and catalog titles will be available from 20th Century Fox, The Walt Disney Studios, Warner Bros., Paramount Pictures, Universal Studios Home Entertainment, Sony Pictures Entertainment, Lionsgate, Image Entertainment and First Look Studios. Movies purchased from iTunes can be viewed on an iPod(R) with video, iPhone(TM), Mac(R) or PC or on a widescreen TV with Apple TV(R), with new releases priced at $14.99 and most catalog titles at $9.99. "We're thrilled to bring iTunes Store customers new films for purchase day-and-date with the DVD release," said Eddy Cue, Apple's vice president of iTunes. "We think movie fans will love being able to buy their favorites from major and independent studios." New releases available for purchase on the iTunes Store this week, concurrent with their DVD release, include "American Gangster" and "The Diving Bell and the Butterfly." Other popular titles now available for purchase include "Juno," "Cloverfield," "I Am Legend," "There Will Be Blood," "Alvin and the Chipmunks" and "Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story." The iTunes Store is the world's most popular online music, TV and movie store with a catalog of over six million songs, 600 TV shows and over 1,500 films including 200 in stunning high definition video. With Apple's legendary ease of use, pioneering features such as new iTunes Movie Rentals, integrated podcasting support, iMix playlist sharing, the ability to turn previously purchased tracks into complete albums at a reduced price, and seamless integration with iPod and iPhone, the iTunes Store is the best way for Mac and PC users to legally discover, purchase and download music and video online. Pricing & Availability Movie purchases and rentals from the iTunes Store for Mac or Windows require iTunes 7.6.2, available as a free download immediately from http://www.itunes.com. iTunes movie purchases and rentals require a valid credit card with a billing address in the country of purchase. iTunes Movies are available in the US only and are $9.99 (US) for library title purchases and $14.99 (US) for new release purchases and $2.99 (US) for library title rentals and $3.99 (US) for new release rentals, and high definition rental versions are priced just one dollar more with library title rentals at $3.99 (US) and new release rentals at $4.99 (US). Short films are available to rent for 99 cents (US). Movies can be previewed, purchased and watched on iPod classic, iPod nano with video, iPod touch, iPhone and on a widescreen TV with Apple TV.

• 20TH CENTURY FOX,
• APPLE,
• BREAKING,
• FIRST LOOK STUDIOS,
• HOME ENTERTAINMENT,
• IMAGE ENTERTAINMENT,
• LIONSGATE,
• MOVIES,
• PARAMOUNT PICTURES,
• SONY PICTURES ENTERTAINMENT,
• STUDIOS,
• THE WALT DISNEY STUDIOS,
• UNIVERSAL STUDIOS,
• WARNER BROS.

New Apple TV coming in major video offensive?

A new version of the Apple TV will help spearhead an Apple video offensive, a new report claims. BusinessWeek writes that it has learned of the new set-top with certainty, although it cannot say what particular features it will bring. Other reports have indicated that users may be able to buy or rent videos directly from the device, which would address one of its long-standing complaints and put it into competition with the video-on-demand services provided by cable and satellite companies.

Apple believes it is in desperate need of a new approach to video, according to the report. Video sales form only 19 percent of its iTunes sales, and an even smaller amount compared to the video industry as a whole. To that end Apple is looking not only to begin video rentals through iTunes, but to have more new releases available, beyond just those from Disney. Apple CEO Steve Jobs sits on Disney's board of directors.

BusinessWeek claims that deals have already been cemented with Disney and 20th Century Fox, though their release intervals for rentals will not be the same. Separate deals are said to be near completion for Warner Bros. and Paramount, while Lionsgate may be willing to rent videos, but will not sell its newest titles. Sony and Universal, active rivals to Apple, are said to be "unlikely" to support Apple's video efforts. Some details Apple has ready are expected to be announced during the January 15th Macworld keynote.

Filed under: Apple, industry
Other story tags: Universal, sony, Lionsgate, Paramount, Warner Bros., Fox, Disney, Apple TV, video