Will iTunes users be able to rent Disney and ABC TV shows soon?
Thu, 26 Aug 2010
Did you miss the recent episode of ABC’s “Bachelor Pad”? Are your kids complaining because they didn’t get to see this week’s “Hannah Montana Forever” episode on Disney Channel?
Well, in the near future, you might be able to rent Disney Channel or ABC TV episodes soon after they air.
According to several reports earlier this week, Apple is in talks with various media companies about a plan to offer 99-cent rentals of popular TV shows soon after they air on the television networks. And one of the media companies involved in the talks is Disney.
A Wall Street Journal report said the plan would allow Apple to offer the program rentals through its iTunes service and would give users a 48-hour window in which to view the content. Also, the programs would be viewed without ads, according to sources familiar with the ongoing plans.
The report stated that Apple and Disney are close to approving a plan, and that News Corp. (owner of Fox) also is highly interested in taking part, too.
CBS and NBC, though, don’t see an allure to any Apple plans because they think they can continue to make more money with their own distribution methods. (Both networks already make revenue off cable and satellite carriage-fee deals, plus programs that also are purchased on iTunes. And NBC distributes content via the ad-supported Hulu, as well.) The ever-secretive Apple, of course, would not comment on possible network interest or plan details.
But any such plans should be revealed in full next week on Sept. 1 at Apple’s media event in San Francisco. The annual fall meeting traditionally has been used to announce Apple iTunes updates and new iPods.
As the event nears, other Apple video initiatives are attracting increased speculation, such as a new version of Apple’s iPod touch that will have a higher screen resolution that will enhance video viewing on small devices. Also rumored to be sharing the spotlight with new devices and TV network deals is a revamped Apple TV device that might feature apps.
No matter what is announced next week, the tech advances most likely will be thrilling for Apple fanboys and fangirls. They usually are, after all.
But Disney television fans might view the iTunes rental plan as the most magical development of all the news out of Cupertino’s magic tech kingdom at 1 Infinity Loop.
Steven Ford, Orlando Sentinel
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