Apple today announced that movies from major film studios including 20th Century Fox, The Walt Disney Studios, Paramount Pictures, Warner Bros. Entertainment, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios Inc. (MGM), Sony Pictures Television International and Lionsgate UK are now available on the iTunes Store in the UK. Movie purchases and rentals feature iTunes’ legendary ease of use, which makes discovering and enjoying movies as simple and easy as buying music on iTunes has always been. The iTunes Store in the UK features over 700 films available for rent or purchase, with titles available for purchase on the same day as their DVD release, including favorites such as “Hitman,” “I Am Legend,” “National Treasure 2: Book of Secrets” and “Into the Wild.” iTunes Movie Rentals also features over 100 titles available in stunning high definition, perfect for viewing on a widescreen TV with Apple TV.
“We’re kicking off movies on the iTunes Store in the UK with over 700 films for purchase and rent,” said Eddy Cue, Apple’s vice president of iTunes, in the press release. “We think customers in the UK are going to love being able to enjoy their favorite movies on their iPod, iPhone or on a widescreen TV with Apple TV.”
The iTunes Store is the world’s most popular online music, TV and movie store. With Apple’s legendary ease of use, pioneering features such as iTunes Movie Rentals, integrated podcasting directory, 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.
With iTunes Movie Rentals, once a movie is rented, it starts downloading from the iTunes Store directly to iTunes or Apple TV, and users with a fast Internet connection can start viewing the movie in seconds. Customers have up to 30 days to start watching it, and once a movie has been started customers have 48 hours to finish it—or watch it multiple times.
Movie purchases and rentals from the iTunes Store for Mac or Windows require iTunes 7.6.2, available as a free download. iTunes movie purchases and rentals require a valid credit card with a billing address in the United Kingdom. iTunes movies are available at £6.99 (US$13.72) for library title purchases and £10.99 (US$21.57) for new releases. iTunes Movie Rentals are £2.49 (US$4.89) for library title rentals and £3.49 (US$6.85) for new releases, and high definition versions are priced at just one pound more, £4.49 (US$8.81). Movie rentals can be previewed, purchased and watched on iPod classic, iPod nano with video, iPod touch, iPhone and on a widescreen TV with Apple TV.
Shame both the Apple TV is so expensive in the UK ($412 equiv).
I love my Apple TV (33% off refurb with full warranty), but I think I’ll stick to £14.99 a month for up to 3 titles (including games) at a time for as long as I want from LoveFilm.
Indeed, are they going to lower the price now in U.K. and also rest of Europe to encourage demand now that content is arriving (at least in some places) ???
£6.99 for Escape from Alcatraz!!
It’s like 30 years old, and available in Tesco down the road for £2.99 in a bargain bin.
When will the Studios learn??
will they reduce cost ‘subsedise’ apple tv in uk like they did in states though?
These prices are incrediby stupid. Everywhere from Play.com, Sainsbury’s even the Sale Offers at HMV are mostly better than on the iTunes store.
I was really looking forward to this, but some of these films I can get for half the price on the Tiscali rental service!
And don’t even get me started on the price of the Apple TV in the UK…
“The iTunes Store in the UK features over 700 films…”
One page of films and one page of TV programs – not much of a video store yet. Imagine walking into Blockbuster and having only one shelf to peruse.
No wonder people are upset at the studios…
Am I missing something? Why do the Brits get 48 hrs to watch? 24 hrs in the states is not long enough when working people may need two nights to watch a long film….
just curious.
Just gotta pay those taxes, so that you can have FREE stuff from the gummint. Glad I left ‘Jolly Old’.
AppleTV is 269.00 GBP, including tax, in the UK. Not a ridiculous price to pay. You cannot directly compare the UK/US prices based solely on the exchange rate, currently 1GBP = $1.95, although I agree that Apple are raking it in thanks to the exchange rate.
The Canadians are the ones being really ripped off, their dollar is worth more than the US dollar and yet they have to pay more for the same download.
The 48 hour thing? Coming to an iTunes store near you soon, just like Canada.
I was very much looking forward to getting an Apple TV, and getting movies ‘just like that’, but that’s pretty steep pricing imo to buy a movie, the rentals seem okay (for standard def only at 2.49). Or maybe i’m just too tight to value an immediate download at that price!