Georgia, Rene, Seth, and Matthew Panzarino of The Next Web talk Steve Jobs resignation fallout, Tim Cook's email to Apple, mobile malware, Acer's iPad fever, Samsung's Space Odyssey, and buh-bye TV rentals. This is iPad Live!
Apple seems to have removed $0.99 TV show rentals from iTunes and Apple TV. In a statement provided to Wall Street Journal technology blog, All Things D, Apple spokesman Tom Neumayr explained:
“iTunes customers have shown they overwhelmingly prefer buying TV shows. iTunes in the Cloud lets customers download and watch their past TV purchases from their iOS devices, Apple TV, Mac or PC allowing them to enjoy their programming whenever and however they choose.”
Doesn't look like NBC will be joining iTunes' $0.99 TV show rental service anytime soon, as CEO Jeff Zucker thinks it's not enough to charge for 22-44 min. of... whatever soon to be cancelled sitcom they've shoved up against that inane reality show on that other network:
We do not think 99 cents is the right price point for our content. ... We thought it would devalue our content," Zucker said at a Goldman Sachs investor conference. He pointed to the fact NBC shows are already available for $1.99 for download on Apple's iTunes service.
$0.99 TV show rentals are too cheap according the Warner CEO Barry Meyer, and would hurt full season TV show purchases.
Meyer said the deal was not a good value for the studio subsidiary of Time Warner Inc., which sells permanent downloads shows such as "Gossip Girl" on iTunes for $2.99 each.
I'm running out of quips to make about the oblivious myopia of old media. Seriously.
Steve Jobs announced the headlines during Apple's 2010 special music event and they include Game Center social gaming network, TV rentals, iTunes Ping social music network, HDR photography, and HD video uploads. (Yes, Apple is introducing not one but two new social networks.)
More importantly for some, proximity sensor misfires, Bluetooth woes, and the abysmal performance on iPhone 3G appear to be fixed.
We'll be covering all of that and more below. For anything and everything that hasn't changed, check out our massive iOS 4 walkthrough because we won't be repeating all that here
Note: this walkthrough is based on the GM (gold master) version of iOS 4.1. We'll continue to add to and improve it as needed, and update once iOS 4.1 release version hits, probably on Wednesday September 8.
