The Wall Street Journal (subscription required) reports on the highly anticipated release of movie download services from Apple and Amazon. Check out the chart below for a comparision of the two services:
In addition to launching a movie-downloading service, Apple has plans to release a revamped lineup of iPods. Expected as early as next week, one version of the video
iPod will have significantly more storage capacity than Apple’s current high-end model,
which has 60 gigabytes for up to 150 hours of video.
Apple will also release the iPod Nano in bright new colors.
Movie downloads from both Amazon and Apple will have the same release date as movies on DVD.
Amazon‘s service will work through a Windows Media-based player and content will easily transfer to Windows Media video-compatible portable devices. Apple’s service, of course, will stick with the iTunes platform and will only be compatible with iPods.
Interestingly enough, the article mentions nothing about the apparent coincidence of the two services being released at roughly the same time with completely different offerings. Apple is supposedly offering only Disney due to “wrangling over pricing for movies.” No reason is give as to why Amazon will be offering movies from all major studios except Disney. One might wonder if the two companies have some sort of agreement?
