First full-length movie on iTunes?
Ok, The Matrix it is not, but many Macenstein readers have pointed out Disney has released “High School Musical�? to the iTunes store. The film runs 1:39:41, making it a full-length movie by most standards. What’s more, you can download the entire feature for only $1.99, which would be a great sign of things to come (although somehow we doubt we’ll see real Hollywood blockbusters offered at that price).
[UPDATE] Apple has changed the price of High School Musical to $9.99 from $1.99. Apparently the original pricing was an error. Assuming this price point (or higher) will be the norm, this now makes the notion of half-res full-length movies from the iTunes Music Store MUCH less appealing.
$1.99 is all I would pay for the vhs quality, rights managed versions that iTunes sells.
Apple better not try to charge much more than that for “real” movies or the whole thing will fall flat. (unless they offer better quality that is).
What if there were multiple price points? Similar to the way in which you can choose your resolution which watching a quicktime trailer – what if you paid $1.99 for iPod quality and then a little bit more for a better quality version?
This is just the beginning of movie downloads. I expect to see the long rumored video iPod around April 1, 2006. Note that the current iPod is only Video capable, I wouldn’t consider it a true video iPod.
I like Aaron’s idea of paying for quality, it makes sense to me.
This is great news for iTunes users! I have been saying since Apple started selling TV shows on iTunes that feature movies can’t be far behind. Now only if they would start offering the T.V. shows outside of the USA.
I read somewhere else that the movie was pulled and readded with a 9.99 pricetag. Haven’t verified it myself tho.
The movie is now 9.99. The same thing happened when the SNL Best Of so and so were added to the store. I remember the day they came out it was very late at night and they were all 1.99. I was tempted to buy several but figured i’d do it the next day when I had some cash to throw around. When I checked back they were 9.99.
The REALLY need to get the movie divided into chapters before they add full-length features onto iTunes.