Apple Gets Into Movie Rental Business

Apple has begun renting movies via its online iTunes Store, which has built a large customer base selling music. Movies from all major studios are available. However, iTunes won't offer a movie for rental until 30 days after its DVD release. The rentals cost $2.99 for older films and $3.99 for newer ones. (HD titles cost a dollar more.) After you download a movie, you have 30 days to start watching, although once you hit Play, the movie is available to you for only the next 24 hours. If you don't have an Apple TV set-top box, you'll probably have to watch the rented movies on a computer screen, an iPod or an iPhone. But if you have an Apple TV, one model of which is priced at about $229, you will be able to watch on a TV screen. Apple is updating this device so it can be operated standalone, and you can choose a movie using its remote.