Video Rentals Coming Soon to iTunes?
Before installing any iTunes upgrade, I dump the strings from the old iTunes binary. Once the new version has installed, I diff the new version's strings against the old's, to see what shows up. — When I did this for the recent 7.5 upgrade, I found the following interesting (new) strings:
Context & Ripple Effects
Two September reports had already pointed to rental options through an iTunes Store slip-up and an apparent iTunes glitch. The new iTunes 7.5 strings add another, code-level signal to those reports as iTunes expands its film section amid competitive pressure.
First-order effects
- Apple has embedded rental-related language in iTunes 7.5, strengthening the evidence for a planned video-rental feature without confirming that the service is available to customers.
- iTunes customers have no announced rental offering yet; the immediate change is a clearer indication of Apple’s product direction rather than a new purchasing option.
Second-order effects
- A rental option would give Apple a second transaction model for film distributors and iTunes customers alongside its existing store catalog, shifting attention from download ownership alone to access terms.
- Competing video interfaces, including TiVo’s, face a stronger case for matching the convenience of a PC-based storefront if Apple turns the code into a consumer service.
Third-order effects
- If repeated storefront leaks translate into a launch, digital video distribution is likely to compete on rental windows and viewing rules as well as catalog size and download sales.
- Apple’s software-client approach points toward media stores using application updates to prepare new commercial models before they are publicly announced.
The trend: iTunes is showing signs of broadening from a download store into a video marketplace that can support both ownership and time-limited access.