Apple launches movie download service

Such was the rumour and speculation around Apple’s new video download service that the actual announcement almost came as something of an anti-climax. 

So, ever the showman, Apple CEO Steve Jobs topped it off by unveiling a new product that will allow users to transmit those movies wirelessly from their computers to their TV – and that could give Apple the chance to control your entire digital entertainment system.

At launch, the movie download service is relatively modest – a mere 75 films, all supplied by Walt Disney and its various subsidiaries. That’s no great feat, given that Jobs is actually one of Disney’s largest shareholders.

Speaking at the announcement, Disney chairman, Bob Iger, said: “We are taking the next step, making 75 movies available from our library and adding new movies on the same day of release as the DVD.”

At the moment, movie downloads are only available in the US, but Jobs stated that the service would “go international” sometime in 2007. Apple said they would be near DVD quality, and cost between $10 and $13 each.

Currently, movies or TV programs downloaded from the iTunes Store can only be played on your computer or an iPod. So Jobs also previewed a new product – codenamed iTV – that will transmit movies and music wirelessly from your computer (be it PC or Mac) to your television.

Similar in design to Apple’s ultra-compact Mac Mini computer, the iTV will cost $299 in the US and is due for release in the first quarter of 2007.

“It’s the final piece of the picture,” said Jobs. “The same files will now play on your computer, your iPod and your TV.”

With the iTV, Apple is entering a burgeoning market of media streaming devices. Many companies have developed media players to stream content from a computer to a TV, but with varying levels of success – and none have to date taken the market by storm.

Apple is hoping that iTV will be the breakthrough product for digital video, just as the iPod was for digital music devices.

Watch Steve Jobs' presentation

See also:
Apple Shuffles iPod range 
Apple revamps iMac and Mac Mini