iTunes Movies Available to Rent in HD on iPad
I watch HD movies rented from the iTunes Store on my Apple TV, and I just noticed that Apple has changed the HD message to include the iPad now.
When you get your new iPad later this month you'll be able to rent HD movies in the iTunes app, an option that's only been available on the Apple TV up until now. If you view a recent movie like Up in iTunes now, you'll see this new message: 'Also Available In HD on iPad and Apple TV'. However, if you're looking forward to buying HD movies in iTunes to watch on your iPad, you'll be disappointed, because it's not possible in Australia yet -- you can only buy the standard definition version for now. That could all change when the iPad is released of course, but I doubt it.
The option to buy HD movies and TV Shows has been available in the USA for quite some time actually, although only on selected movies and shows. You can see what you're missing out on by changing the country selection in iTunes, from Australia to United States. Just scroll to the bottom of iTunes, click on Change Country, and select United States. Take a look at Casino Royale (2006), and you'll see options to rent and buy the HD movie. Another difference here is that unlike Australia, you can actually rent the HD version directly in iTunes on your desktop.
Something else you'll notice as you browse around the US iTunes Store, is that a lot more movies have iTunes Extras included -- bonus special features just like a DVD or Blu-ray disc -- when you buy a movie. For now, nobody gets iTunes Extras on the iPad, because they can only be viewed in iTunes on your Mac or PC.
HD TV shows are available to buy in the US iTunes Store, but no rentals in either standard def or HD for anyone yet.
The regular price for renting a new or recent release HD movie to watch on your iPad is $6.99, which I think is a bit too expensive. The standard definition version is $5.99, which is about the same price it costs to rent a DVD or Blu-ray disc (often with heaps of bonus features) at my local video rental store. Sure, it's certainly very convenient to download an HD movie to your iPad, but I don't think the cost is justified. To encourage more people to rent movies in iTunes, I think Apple should reduce the regular price of standard def movies down to $4.99, and HD movies to $5.99.
Happily, there are hundreds of movies to rent in HD on your iPad at lower prices. You'll find a section in iTunes right now titled '$3.99 Rentals' -- you'll pay $4.99 to rent the HD version mind you. I browsed around for a while and found plenty of popular films here, like The Sixth Sense, Knocked Up, Gladiator, and Finding Nemo.
I'm sure HD movies rented on the iPad will look great, and I don't think the lack of an option to buy an HD movie is going to be a big issue for most people. However, I think it would be in Apple's best interest to give Australia the choice to buy HD movies and TV shows soon, because most Australians have embraced the new high definition format, and we expect nothing less.
Verified Store Page: iTunes Store
Verified Store Page: Apple Store
