Fox, Apple to sign iTunes dealMovies to be available to rent
Fox and Apple are set to announce a deal allowing customers to rent movies on iTunes for the first time. Disney already makes current titles available for purchase on iTunes. Paramount, MGM and Lionsgate sell library titles. But the Fox deal will be formally unveiled at the Macworld meeting on Jan. 14. Renters will get films for a limited time. The pricing has not been disclosed, but the price point is expected to be much lower than current prices for buying a film. Apple has been looking for ways to invigorate its video business on iTunes, which has been a far more modest performer than the music downloading part of the service. NBC execs, before pulling the net's fare off of iTunes recently, grumbled about the meager returns on their investment. Another enticement that is part of the Fox deal is that the studio will release DVDs using Apple's digital rights management software, which will make them easier to legally copy and play on computers or iPods. |