iTunes Movie Rentals to be Announced at WWDC?

Think Secret claims that Steve Jobs will announce the addition of a movie rental service to the iTunes Music Store during his keynote speech at the Worldwide Developers Conference on August 7.

MacRumors reported last month that movie studios had mixed feelings about Steve Jobs, some regarding him as a friend and some as a foe, and Think Secret's report indicates that the studios have won this negotiation round, limiting movies to rentals instead of outright purchases, with playback limited either by number of viewings or by an expiration date.

Deals with Walt Disney Studios, Universal Studios, Paramount Pictures, and Warner Brothers Pictures are said to be complete, with others in progress.

Apple's decision to implement a rental model for movies is a major departure for the company and Mr. Jobs. Apple had been trying for months to persuade the movie studios that the a-la-carte model of buying individual titles, as the iTunes Music Store offers with music, was the way to go. The studios, however, has been fixed on offering only a subscription or rental-based model.

Related Forum: Mac Apps

Popular Stories

iPhone 17 Pro on Desk Centered 1

iPhone 17 Pro Launching in Two Months With These 16 New Features

Tuesday July 22, 2025 5:00 pm PDT by
Apple's iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max are less than two months away, and there are plenty of rumors about the devices. Below, we recap key changes rumored for the iPhone 17 Pro models, as of July 2025:Aluminum frame: iPhone 17 Pro models are rumored to have an aluminum frame, whereas the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro models have a titanium frame, and the iPhone X through iPhone 14...
Foldable iPhone 2023 Feature Iridescent 1

Foldable iPhone's Display Sizes Leaked

Tuesday July 22, 2025 6:00 pm PDT by
Apple's first foldable iPhone will be equipped with a 7.8-inch inner display, and a 5.5-inch outer display, according to Taiwanese research firm TrendForce. Apple supply chain analyst Ming-Chi Kuo already mentioned those same display sizes for the foldable iPhone in March, meaning there are now multiple sources backing those sizes, so long as TrendForce is not simply copying what Kuo said. ...
Apple AppleCare One hero

Apple Announces 'AppleCare One' Subscription Plan for Multiple Devices

Wednesday July 23, 2025 5:06 am PDT by
Apple today announced AppleCare One, a new subscription plan for customers to cover multiple devices with a single plan. AppleCare One starts at $19.99 per month for up to three products, with the ability to add more for $5.99 per month for each additional device. The plan incudes all of the benefits that come with AppleCare+, such as unlimited repairs for accidents, priority support,...
iPhone 17 Pro Dark Blue and Orange

When Is iPhone 17 Coming Out?

Thursday July 24, 2025 9:11 am PDT by
Apple's iPhone 17 series is expected to debut in September 2025. This release follows Apple's recent trend of introducing new iPhone models annually in the fall. To unveil the iPhone 17, iPhone 17 Air, iPhone 17 Pro, and iPhone 17 Pro Max, Apple is expected to hold its annual iPhone announcement event during the week of September 8, 2025, with September 9 or 10 emerging as the most likely...
iOS 26 Feature

Everything New in iOS 26 Beta 4

Tuesday July 22, 2025 3:56 pm PDT by
Apple released the fourth beta of iOS 26 today, and the company has continued making changes to the way that Liquid Glass looks. There are also new features, including the return of Apple Intelligence Notification Summaries for news. This beta is of particular interest because it's likely the beta that public beta testers will get in the not too distant future. Liquid Glass Changes Liquid...
iphone 16 pro models 1

18 Reasons to Wait for the iPhone 17

Tuesday July 22, 2025 8:10 am PDT by
Apple's iPhone development roadmap runs several years into the future and the company is continually working with suppliers on several successive iPhone models simultaneously, which is why we often get rumored features months ahead of launch. The iPhone 17 series is now less than two months away, so we already have a good idea of what to expect from Apple's 2025 smartphone lineup. If you...
iOS 18

Apple Shares iOS 18.6 Release Notes

Thursday July 24, 2025 6:33 am PDT by
While the focus is now on iOS 26, there is still an iOS 18.6 update incoming. As noted by Aaron Zollo, Apple on Wednesday re-labeled iOS 18.6 Beta 4 as simply iOS 18.6, meaning that it is the Release Candidate version. This change effectively confirms that the update will be released to the public next week. Alongside the new label, Apple shared release notes for iOS 18.6, which is a...
iOS 26 Feature

Apple Releases First iOS 26 and iPadOS 26 Public Betas

Thursday July 24, 2025 10:15 am PDT by
Apple is allowing members of its public beta testing program to download and install iOS 26 and iPadOS 26 starting today. You can sign up for the public betas on Apple's beta website. The first public beta features the same content as the fourth developer beta that came out earlier this week, though there is a new fourth beta available for developers as well. Beta testers that have...