iTunes Store adds 99 cent weekly movie rental specials
Along with the iTunes update we noted earlier, Apple has introduced a new weekly special movie rental for 99 cents. Macrumors reports that each Thursday Apple will make available a new movie at the special price, good until the following Monday. You'll have the standard 30 days to watch it. The first special this week is The Hours (iTunes link).This looks like a clever move to jump start the movie rental business. We can only hope that they'll also consider adding HD versions through Apple TV as well.
[via Infinite Loop]
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
Pismodude said 8:10AM on 2-22-2008
Is it just me, or is TUAW not as fast as it used to be at delivering apple news?
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Harmful Dose said 11:05AM on 2-22-2008
I think engadget is the new TUAW, that's where I get my
apple news and info.
JD said 5:53PM on 4-04-2008
You can keep track of the $0.99 movie rental on 99rental.com http://www.99rental.com there's an RSS feed as well.
Ed said 8:14AM on 2-22-2008
Indeed, this was reported days ago on other sites...
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Mat Lu said 2:31PM on 2-22-2008
Really? I'd love to see some links to where this was reported "days ago on other sites." I'd especially love to see links to where Engadget covered this. Macrumors had it yesterday (which is what we've linked to). Giz ran it this morning (after us) and so far as I can see Engadget hasn't run it at all.
iMat said 8:22AM on 2-22-2008
Europe (continental one, that is) still waiting for ANY sign that AppleTV is going to be some sort of alternative to Blu-Ray... Just mentioning...
Cupertino.. If you want a slice of the HD market, now that the format war is over, you'd better wake up and deliever here as well.
Besides that. Great idea for helping such a service really taking of and for bringing people weekly on the store and maybe rent some new stuff as well.
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h8rain said 9:51AM on 2-22-2008
At $0.99, I would definitely be more inclined to rent a movie. I drive right by a Blockbuster basically every day, and since it is *almost* the same price, the restrictions are not worth the cost. 99 cents makes it a lot easier to swallow though.
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joey said 9:51AM on 2-22-2008
"Apple will make available a new movie at the special price, good until the following Monday. "
meaning because they have deals with movie studios the movies that arent doing so hot will get a special push. Why not give it away for free? Like how Amazon and iTMS already do to promote new artist. Give a song, see if you like it get the rest.
In this case give the movie away then do the whole amazon/netflix/iTMS... if you liked this movie may we suggest....
To me that would get more people using this service... free movies WTH.
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Tim said 10:37AM on 2-22-2008
I have to tell you this dollar movie rental will most likely make me rent a movie a week - I picked up the Hours because it was a dollar and can keep it for a month and when I feel like watching it I will - and will have a few movies at the dollar rental price and have a selection to watch from!
This is a great incredible move by Apples part to have rentals as common as Blockbuster/Netflix!
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Torsten said 11:37AM on 2-22-2008
The first movie available for 99 cents was "Breakfast at Tiffany's" last weekend, which I actually rented.
Kyle said 1:31PM on 2-22-2008
Oh Torsten, you beat me to it!
Vishal said 2:00PM on 2-22-2008
dammit, I wish you told everyone about the $.99 Breakfast at Tiffany's offer...This should be on an RSS feed someplace!
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Tim said 2:10PM on 2-22-2008
Where do the show the 99 cent rental on the store. I can't find where it is located other than the link in the article.
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hohum said 10:46PM on 2-22-2008
When I'm at the iTunes Store, it eventually comes up in the banner at the top (the three continuously changing ads)... That's where I spotted it...
Michael Crisp said 8:51PM on 3-10-2008
There is a list for the 99 cent movie. I created it, at www.itunes99centmovie.com I'll try and add an RSS feed soon.
BT said 2:54PM on 2-22-2008
It would be nice if they had a clear indication of the movie special on the movies page. I would have never known about this if I didn't read news sites. Are they trying to keep this on the down-low?
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ZeroCorpse said 4:33PM on 2-22-2008
This is good news! I'm getting an Apple TV (on its way from California next week) and this is exactly the kind of thing I need to make my recent decision to drop DirecTV in favor of downloads a worthwhile one.
Now, if only Apple would get on the ball with those HD TV shows. It's embarrassing that XBox 360 Marketplace has HD television shows, but Apple TV (note the word "TV" in the name) does not.
COME ON, Apple!
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Russell said 6:15PM on 2-22-2008
Do they still not have HD rentals unless you have an AppleTV? I just can't see why you would ever watch a standard definition movie on a computer.
If these were available in HD I might actually rent some of them. That would be weird. I haven't spent money on iTunes since like August.
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wolveo said 4:14AM on 2-26-2008
The Hours is available on Netflix to "Watch Instantly", if you have a subscription.... and Windows.
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rich said 7:58AM on 2-29-2008
anyone have a link to this weeks 99 cent movie rental. Can't locate it.
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