Apple launches movie download store in US

Apple confirm rumours with new movie store in the US

12 September 2006 18:46 GMT / By Stuart Miles

Apple has launched a movie download store in the US tonight finally putting an end to rumours on the web about whether they were or whether they weren't going to do it.

Coming just one week after Amazon.com launched its video download service the company announced that its iTunes Music Store, now re branded to just iTunes Store will offer American customers film downloads at $14.99.

Among the films available are a range of films from Walt Disney, Pixar, Touchstone, Miramax all owned by Disney presumably due to Steve Jobs Apple's CEO recently becoming a member of the board at Disney.

The store launching in the US will offer 75 films online today, more every week and month. New releases $12.99 pre orders and first week, after that up to $14.99, however Jobs said that most will cost $9.99.

Apple are saying that the movies will be near DVD quality with the same improved encoding as its TV shows at 640x480 (up from 320x240).

According to Apple if you have a 5mb/s broadband connection, it will take approximately 30 minutes to download a movie. Apple said that the movies would be supported by Dolby surround audio in videos.

However once again the UK was overlooked with the service only being available in the US to start with. Apple suggested that an international store wouldn't launch in the UK until 2007.