9:30 AM According to reports, Apple is planning to add streaming rentals of TV episodes to its next version of Apple TV

July 9, 2010

1 Min Read
Apple to Add $1 TV Rentals

9:30 AM -- Apple Inc. (Nasdaq: AAPL) is adding streaming TV rentals to its new release of Apple TV, according to reports.

Apple has been trying to convince content owners to allow it to rent out episodes of TV shows for 99 cents each, NewTeeVee reports. Right now, Apple only sells TV episodes, for $1.99 in standard definition and $2.99 in high definition.

The TV rentals will work very similarly to Apple's current movie rentals -- users will have 30 days to start watching the episode, and after they start, they have 24 hours before it expires -- but there will be one key difference. These new rentals will be streamed, from the cloud, in contrast with Apple's current process of having users download the videos.

This move would throw Apple TV into more intense competition with streaming subscription sites Netflix and Hulu Plus, which, unlike Apple TV, are available on a variety of devices ranging from Playstation 3 to Blu-ray players. If Apple can convince cable networks to let it rent out episodes of shows like Mad Men and True Blood -- which Apple offers for purchase and aren't available through competitors -- it might have an advantage, but it's still unclear whether Apple will be able to.

— Erin Barker, Digital Content Reporter, Light Reading Cable

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