iTunes HD Movie Rentals $1 Less than XBL

[CoFree]

iTunes HD Movie Rentals $1 Less than XBL
And with more studios on board, to boot.
By Patrick Klepek, 01/15/2008
Microsoft's continued expansion of the Xbox Live Video Marketplace (see: CES) is a calculated move hailing the delivery of content exclusively via digital downloads. HD movie downloads aren't widely available on the Internet yet, making XBL Video Marketplace's direct download options an alluring attraction, even if they do cost $6 a piece. Not limited to the Xbox 360's userbase, however, is Apple, who today announced the introduction of HD movie downloads over iTunes.

The initial library of HD movies on iTunes is relatively small, with only 100 available (and more coming). What's different on iTunes, however, is the price: $5 per HD rental. Sure, a single dollar isn't massive, but worth considering cumulatively. The difference, however, is iTunes' inability to stream an HD rental to your HDTV without the aid of the company's Apple TV box, which now costs $229.

Requiring an additional box to have the same experience already available on Xbox 360 keeps the dollar difference between the two systems mostly irrelevant. But, at the same time, if Microsoft's end-game is digital distribution via an Xbox-like device in your entertainment center, they'll have to pay attention to the reaction.

P.S. We realize it's possible to hook your laptop up to an HDTV, but that's not practical for most people.

P.P.S. Yes, some HD downloads on XBL are cheaper -- TV shows (not yet available on iTunes) and designated "classic movies" -- but new films are the real market here.