More rumors about iTunes movie rentals

Reel simple solution:

Watch it on any device you authorize, up to five devices (just like iTunes).

New Releases:
$2.99 - 24 hours to watch it once.
$3.99 - 30 days to watch it once.
$4.99 - 30 days to watch it as many times as you want.

Old releases
$1.99 - 30 days to watch it once.
$2.99 - 30 days to watch it as many times as you want.

New Releases and Old Releases:
At the end of 30 days, you can buy the movie for it's purchase price ($9.99) minus its rental price and keep it forever if you like.

I also have to say that $2.99 is fair for one play providing that there are no glitches or something that stops you from watching the entire thing such as iTunes errors software errors, etc.

Personally, I don't understand people who watch movies more than once.

2.99 for one play is fine by me. it wouldn't replace netflix but as an easy way to load up a movie on my iphone (say while in a cab on the way to the airport before a flight), it'd be perfect. I've never bought a movie from the itunes store because $9.99 is way too steep for something I'm going to watch once.

For me this would all come down to how much DRM crap is stuck in the files. It if causes issues I would rather just stick with my Netflix. While Netflix may not be instant it's worth waiting if you have to put up with tons of crap from DRM.

I disagree. I think $2.99 is fair for one play and not having to provide any storage or hassle with syncing the movie to all your different devices. Just click Rent and immediately you can watch it from any device. No wait for a download, no sync to AppleTV, just instant gratification. If you want to watch it over and over you can buy it for $9.99. If you have your own DVDs then nothing prevents you from using them.

Well I think 1 play would be ridiculous, think about how for $15 or so you can get unlimited DVDs and can watch a lot of online content on Netflix, and we all know if we so chose we can rip/copy those DVDs right to our devices easily but of course not really legally but still, you get the point.

Like the first poster said, it will be far from an impulse "Hey I'm bored I'm going to download a movie over Wi-Fi or (both laughs and cringes) EDGE" maybe for a TV show episode, but not yet a movie.

But as a home point of view, it could be good as long as they keep it simple and allow you to view it as many times in the 30 days, it could really take a small bite out of things like Netflix and Blockbuster from the people who just sort of impulse get a movie for the family.

One of the most amazing things about my Apple TV is how well the Movie Trailers work. The trailers are all streamed (over wifi in my case), many are near HD quality now, and not once, ever, has the picture paused or skipped. I have no idea how they have gotten streaming to work so reliably but to me this points to how rental movies would work. You pay $2.99 and for 30 days you can stream the movie to any Apple device you own. The movie can go forward but not backward (maybe 5 min rewind or something). So I can be watching a movie at home on my Apple TV, pause it, continue watching on my MacBook Pro at Starbucks, pause it, finish the movie on my iPhone at the airport.

I can think of two problems right off the bat: at $2.99, there's no way it's going to be hi-def. Apple has already talked about infrastructure costs as it relates to music and standard-def video, and they're not exactly getting rich from selling stuff in the iTunes Store. To think that they might triple the size of the files and charge *less*, even if they're paying the studios less because it's a rental instead of a purchse, well, that doesn't really seem to make sense.

Secondly, how would TV shows work? They cost $1.99 to buy right now, right? When I rent a disc of TV shows from Netflix, I get 6-8 episodes, which is a good value. Will Apple bundle a whole season into one $7.99 rental? Or exclude TV shows from the rental store altogether? It adds a layer of confusion in pricing and availability which Apple has historically been reluctant to do. Except with iTunes Plus. And ringtones. OK, so it could happen, but it's less than ideal.

Updating 24 - I wrote that last night around 11:30pm eastern, but somehow even with my password I had to confirm it via e-mail so it just posted this morning. Seems to be running full-speed again now.

Oh HELL yes, I'd be all over that like it was your hot girlfriend...

For a little while I had Vongo subscription, and when it was tied into Media Center, it was very handy. Watch it on my laptop, or rent and watch it on my Xbox 360. I didn't have a Windows Media device, so no hand held, but i have ripped a few movies to my PSP, and it was a mighty fine experince.

And I'm one of those types that Seeing a movie once is more often then not.. other then the select few of VERY good movies. (The Prestige, and Pirates Of Silicon Valley)