iTunes rumoured to be getting Fox movies

Two companies "Actively negotiating"

5 December 2007 1:12 GMT / By Stuart Miles

US iTunes customers could soon be able to download films like the Simpsons and Die Hard 4.0 if rumours about Twentieth Century Fox striking a deal with Apple to offer its movies via iTunes in the US.

According to the Apple rumour site, Appleinsider.com quoting analyst Richard Greenfield in a blog posting and The Wall Street Journal, the two companies are "actively negotiating" terms of the deal, which could be announced sometime in early 2008.

Appleinsider believes that "Apple and Fox are reportedly prolonging the engagement as not to tamper with this year's critical holiday DVD shopping season".

"While we suspect FOX will be the first studio other than Disney to fully embrace iTunes, we believe others will quickly follow suit", the analyst wrote, explaining that the major fear for Hollywood studios is proving to Wal-Mart and other physical DVD retailers that a lower wholesale price on digital copies is warranted relative to DVDs.

However Appleinsider is quick to point out that the Fox Apple rumour has been floating around the ether for almost a year now.

We will keep you posted.