Link This | Email this | Blog This | Comments (0)

Can Apple TV Take Bite Out of Physical?
January 15, 2008

Some of you guys, well..one brave commenter!...has pooh-poohed concern over digitally-delivered high-def content nipping physical high-def media in the bud. But the fansters have been ooh-ing and ahh-ing over this just announced cheaper Apple TV that will offer 100 movies for rent in high-definition that can be viewed directly onto the TV set. To this point, Apple TV has not taken off with anybody, regular folks or the fanboy contingent. For $229, this updated Apple TV is a steal compared to most Blu-ray set-tops, and might seem an attractive device to enhance the home theater experience.  But 100 movies is a small amount of films, compared to the total 1,000 that Apple signed on for rental today from the major studios. These 100 will also be available 30 days after the title streets at retail, protecting the immediacy of watching new release BD or HD DVD movies. To physical's advantage, because of these VOD-esque restrictions...wait 30 days, have to watch it within 24 hours and then it goes away.. it could be tricky for the average consumer to hop on board with Apple digitally-delivered rentals.  There are still those people that would rather just get the thing in hand the first few days its out.  I don't even exactly remember what was released 30 days ago, to get excited about what I potentially can now rent on Apple. But that's just me! 

Posted by Susanne Ault on January 15, 2008 | Comments (0)