Rapid TV News

Apple to add movies to German iTunes

Jörn Krieger ©RapidTVNews | 21-09-2008

US-based computer company Apple Inc is planning to offer movies on the German version of its online media portal iTunes. The service will launch in a few weeks, writes German weekly news magazine Wirtschaftswoche, quoting sources at the company.

From the end of the year, selected productions will be available in high-definition (HDTV). According to the report, Apple is currently building up a digital library of German-language movies at its headquarters in Cupertino. The videos, which will both be offered for rent during a 24 hour period and sold for permanent possession, can be viewed on the PC, iPod, iPhone and through Apple TV on TV sets.

Apple has so far only been offering movies in English-speaking countries. In Germany, iTunes mostly contains music tracks, music videos and audio-books as well as a selection of TV series, documentaries and children’s programmes. With its thrust, the company will compete with existing internet-based digital movie stores such as maxdome from ProSiebenSat.1 and Videoload from Deutsche Telekom.

© Rapid TV News 2008