Apple Launches Same-Day Rentals, Purchases For Movies

Lowly Apple Servant/VP Of Merchandising for Apple: "Mr. Jobs, uh, we are all set to move forward on the Same-Day....

Steve Jobs: "What did you call me?!"

LAS/VPoM: "Uhh, sorry sir! I meant, Supreme-Commander of All the Eye Can See and Heart Can Lust For..."

SJ: "That's better! Now what do you want? I'm busy figuring out a way to get my loyal minions to buy a another iPhone for $100 more than they paid for their last one just a few months ago."

LAS/VPoM: "Well sir, we're all set on the Same-Day release of movies for purchase and rental to the iTunes store."

SJ: "Excellent: "We're just one step away from owning all of Major Media's soul! "

*Jobs cackles furiously as LAS slithers out of the room and releases a heavy sigh of relief*

So, as you can see kiddies, Steve Jobs has unveiled Apple's newest pawn move in the media power game but unleashing same day movie releases and rentals from several of the major and independent movie studios. This means that Blockbuster and NetFlix will no longer have the 30 day head-start on the rental side of the biz, and retailers will have to start finding a way to compete against the monolith of digital downloads that is Apple.

Will this have a major impact on the movie industry? I'm not sure, to be honest. I've always felt movies to be a bit more communal than music, so not owning the physical piece of the puzzle may be a little more of a deterrent. As for the rental side of things, I see this being a huge boon for Apple. The only problem being that the only way to get their High Def content is to own an Apple TV, but if I get home tonight and feel like watching I Am Legend, but am too lazy to go to the store, then this is a perfect solution!

Press Release [Apple]
[via: Ars Technica]