Jari Ketola
27 Mar 2006 4:05
Apple has started offering music videos in DVD-length bundles at their online media store iTunes. The first package offered is Tori Amos: Fade to Red - Video Collection, which contains 21 music tracks and a commentary track. The collection was originally released on DVD in February. Most of the videos in the package can be purchased separately at $1.99 per video. The complete bundle costs $24.99, and contains two videos and the commentary track, which cannot be purchased separately. In comparison the DVD is available at Amazon for $16.99 plus shipping.
In addition to the Tori Amos bundle, Apple is offering music video packages from other artists as well. Their full-length movie download service is expected to be launched in the near future. The first movie download was offered at iTunes earlier this month.
Apple will be facing some competition on the movie download field as Amazon is rumored to start offering a download service of its own sometime in the future. UK company Lovefilm.com will start offering its DVD/download hybrid service next month, when customers can purchase the latest King Kong remake for £20.00 (about $35). For that price they will receive the DVD media by mail plus two separate downloads for the movie -- one for desktop use, and another for portable devices. Unfortunately for all iPod users the Lovefilm service will use Windows Media DRM, so the downloadable versions will be completely useless to them.
Apple's proprietary and closed DRM has so far kept iPods and iTunes at the top as far as music download services are concerned. It remains to be seen whether or not Apple can maintain the same EDGE in video/movie downloads as well.
Source:
MacWorld UK