The iTunes Store finally has opened for movie sales and rentals in Canada and the United Kingdom. The moves follow the U.S. expansion into online rentals by a month.
Movie availability lags behind the U.S. in most cases. The movies go up day and date with the DVD release, as in the States. You’ll need a credit card that’s valid in the country of rental/purchase. That means no poaching of local fare, in any direction.
And so the featured movie in Canada is “Juno” and in the U.K. it’s “Darjeeling Limited.” In the U.S. this week, we get “Semi-Pro” and “Meet the Spartans.” That’ll show ’em.
In Canada, about 1,200 titles are up for sale or rental. iTunes movies are available at CAN$9.99 for catalog title purchases, CAN$14.99 for recent releases and CAN$19.99 for new releases. iTunes Movie Rentals are CAN$3.99 for library titles and CAN$4.99 for new releases. High definition rental versions are priced at a dollar more.
Participating studios for iTunes Canada are 20th Century Fox, the Walt Disney Studios, Paramount Pictures, Warner Bros. Entertainment, Universal Studios Home Entertainment, MGM Studios Inc., Sony Pictures Television International and Lionsgate and Maple Pictures.
In Britain, about 700 titles are available for starters. The U.K. pricing structure has iTunes movies available at £6.99 for catalog titles and £10.99 for new releases. Rentals are £2.49 for library title rentals and £3.49 for new releases. High definition versions are a pound more.
Participating studios for the U.K. iTunes Store are 20th Century Fox, the Walt Disney Studios, Paramount Pictures, Warner Bros. Entertainment, MGM Studios Inc., Sony Pictures Television International and Lionsgate UK.
Predictably, the expansion offers no end-run around release windows for U.K. customers, who usually get titles months after the region 1 U.S. market (following theatrical patterns).
Meanwhile, over in France, l’iTunes Store now offers TV fare from the country’s networks including TF1, France Télévisions, Arté, Mediatoon’s Dargaud TV and Dupuis TV, along with U.S. shows from Disney and MTV Networks. Unfortunately for U.S. viewers with an appreciation for nudity in primetime fare, you can’t get there from here. Mon Dieu!
Apple said 25 series with about 450 episiodes are available in France. Television shows are priced at €1.49, €1.99 and €2.49 per episode.
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