Marvel's mightiest heroes, the Avengers, are assembling in movie theaters tonight, but you can Captain America, Iron Man, Thor, the Hulk, Hawkeye, and the Black Widow on your iPhone, iPod touch, and iPhone right now!

Avengers wallpapers for iPhone and iPad

Want to put the Avengers front and center on your iPhone, iPod touch, or iPad? Show off your favorite Captain America, Iron Man, Thor, the Hulk, Hawkeye, or the Black Widow pose? We've got them Retina-ready and waiting in the iMore forums

• Avengers wallpapers for iPhone and iPad

Avengers apps and games for iPhone and iPad

While there's been some great Avengers content on the App Store before, thanks to game tie-ins based on previous Iron Man movies and such, Marvel and Disney have put out three specific tie-in apps for the iPad.

• Marvel's Avengers: Iron Man - Free - Download Now
• Avengers Origins: Hulk - $1.99 - Download Now
• Avengers Origins: Assemble - $1.99 - Download Now

If that's not enough:

• All Avengers related iPhone & iPod touch apps
• All Avengers related iPad apps

Avengers movies, TV shows, books, and comics for iPhone and iPad

iTunes has a ton of Avengers content ready and waiting for you to load up on your iPhone, iPod touch, and iPad. There are the prequel movies: Iron Man, Incredible Hulk, Iron Man 2, Thor, and Captain America. There are cartoon shows. There are sound tracks. And, of course, there are comic books (I particularly recommend Mark Millar and Bryan Hitch's seminal "The Ultimates" series for a great, modern take at "humans of mass destruction")

• Avengers on iTunes and iBooks

Avengers DVDs, Blurays, toys, t-shirts and more

If physical goods are more your thing, Amazon has a ton of Avengers merchandise for you to choose from, including collected editions of many of the classic comic books, as well as action figures, and much, much more.

• Avengers on Amazon

Avengers discussion

If you've seen the Avengers and want to share your review or discuss your thoughts and feelings, jump into a Movie Forum and do just that!

Everything you need to know about re-downloading apps, games, iBooks, music, TV shows, and movies from the iTunes Store and iCloud

iTunes in the Cloud lets you access content you've bought from Apple's iTunes Store, App Store, and iBookstore, re-download it to your iPhone, iPod touch, and iPad, and to iTunes on your Mac or Windows PC, and stream your music, movies, and TV shows to your Apple TV.

• How to set up iTunes in the Cloud automatic downloads
• How to enable automatic iTunes in the Cloud downloads over 3G/4G on your iPhone, iPod touch, or iPad
• How to enable automatic Newsstand issue downloads on your iPhone, iPod touch, or iPad
• How to change the iTunes account associated with your iTunes in the Cloud device
• How to de-authorize an iTunes in the Cloud device

How to set up iTunes in the Cloud automatic downloads

iTunes in the Cloud let's you automatically download any App Store apps, iBookstore iBooks, and iTunes music you buy. For example, if you buy a game on your iPhone, it can automatically download onto your iPad. If you buy a song on iTunes on your Mac or Windows PC, it can automatically download onto your iPod touch.

1. Launch the Settings app.
2. Tap Store near the bottom.
3. Toggle Music, Apps, and Books to On
4. Enter your iTunes password to authorize.

An iTunes account can only have 10 devices enabled for iTunes in the Cloud at the same time. Devices include iPhones, iPod touches, iPads, as well as Mac and Windows PCs, and Apple TVs. If you reach 10, you can't add an additional devices until you remove one first. (See below.)

How to enable automatic iTunes in the Cloud downloads over 3G/4G on your iPhone, iPod touch, or iPad

If you're not concerned about your cellular data cap or any potential overage charges, you can choose to have iTunes in the Cloud automatic downloads happen even when you're off Wi-Fi and on 3G or 4G.

1. Launch the Settings app.
2. Tap Store near the bottom.
3. Toggle Use Cellular Data to On.

If you do choose to allow 3G/4G downloads, there's still a maximum file size limit of 50MB. Any content bigger than that can only be downloaded over Wi-Fi.

How to enable automatic Newsstand issue downloads on your iPhone, iPod touch, or iPad

If you subscribe to any magazines or newspapers in Newsstand, you can choose to have new issues download automatically to your iPhone, iPod touch, and iPad when they become available.

1. Launch the Settings app.
2. Tap Store near the bottom.
3. Toggle any magazine or newspaper apps listed at the bottom to On.

Newsstand content downloads will only happen while on Wi-Fi.

How to change the iTunes account associated with your iTunes in the Cloud device

If you have multiple iTunes accounts, for example a personal and a family account, or a family and a business account, or accounts in more than one regional iTunes store, you can change which account is associated with your iPhone, iPod touch, or iPad.

1. Launch the Settings app.
2. Tap Store near the bottom.
3. Tap the email address of the Apple ID currently logged into the App Store (at the bottom of the screen).
4. Tap Sign Out.
5. Tap Sign In.
6. Tap Use Existing Apple ID.
7. Enter the email address and password for the iTunes account you want to switch to.

To guard against unfair use or illegal distribution (for example, to stop friends from swapping accounts to get free access to each other's content), you can only change iTunes in the Cloud accounts once every 90 days.

How to de-authorize an iTunes in the Cloud device

If you reach your 10 device limit for iTunes in the Cloud and need to remove a device, or if you simply lose, sell, or upgrade a device and want it off you account, you can remove it via the iTunes desktop on Mac or Windows.

1. Launch iTunes on Mac or Windows.
2. Click your iTunes email address at the top right. (If you're not already logged in, click Log In.)
3. Enter your iTunes email address and/or iTunes password.
4. Click on Manage Devices, middle right.
5. Click on Remove for any iPhone, iPod touch, or iPad you no longer wish associated with iTunes on the Cloud on your account.

How to re-download apps and games with iCloud

For a long time now, The App Store has let you re-download paid apps and games without having to pay for them again. Now, however, this functionality is officially part of iCloud and iTunes in the Cloud. It means if you downloaded an app or game a long time ago, on a different device, or simply deleted it because you stopped using it for a while, you can go back and download it again, free of additional charge.

If you know the name of the app you want to re-download:

1. Launch the App Store app.
2. Tap the Search tab (iPhone and iPod touch only) or into the Search box (iPad).
3. Enter the name of the app you want to re-download.
4. Tap the Search button on the keyboard.
5. When the search results show up, find the app and tap the Install button.

Note: If you see a price button (e.g. $0.99) instead of an Install button, it means you'll be charged for the download. Make sure you're on the proper iTunes account, and that you've really bought the app previously before re-downloading.

If you don't know the name of the app and need to find it:

1. Launch the App Store app.
2. Tap on the Purchased tab tab (iPad), or Updates tab and then tap Purchased (iPhone and iPod touch).
3. Tap Not on the iPad/iPhone to see a list of apps not currently on your device.
4. Scroll through the list to find the app you're looking for.
5. Tap the iCloud download button to re-download the app to your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch.
6. Enter your iTunes password, if requested, to confirm.

Your app will now download to the Home screen of your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch.

How to re-download iBooks with iCloud

Just like App Store apps, you can easily re-download iBookstore iBooks to your iPhone, iPod touch, and iPad.

1. Launch the iBooks app.
2. Tap on the Store button in the top left corner.
3. Tap on the Purchased tab along the bottom navigation menu.
4. Scroll through the list to find the book you're looking for.
5. Tap on the iCloud download button to re-download the book to your iPhone, iPod touch, or iPad.
6. Enter your iTunes password, if requested, to confirm.

Your book will download to your iBooks bookshelf.

How to re-download iTunes music, movies, & TV shows with iCloud

Re-downloading music, movies, and TV shows is a little more complicated than re-downloading apps simply because licensing restrictions don't allow it in all areas (yet). Music is currently available in many regions. TV shows are only available in Australia, Canada, the U.K., and the U.S. Movie re-downloads are only available in the U.S.

Here's a current listing of which types of content are available for re-downloading and in which area.

• iTunes in the Cloud availability by country

If iTunes re-downloads are available in you region, you can safely restore your content to your iPhone, iPod touch, iPad, or iTunes on your Mac or Windows PC without being charged again.

1. Launch the iTunes app.
2. Tap on the Purchased tab along the bottom of the navigation menu.
3. Tap the View button at the top left to choose between movies, music, or TV shows (options vary by region, not all may be present).
4. Tap Not on this iPhone/iPod/iPad.
5. Scroll through the list to find the content you're looking for.
6. Tap on the iCloud download button to re-download the content to your iPhone, iPod touch, or iPad.
7. Enter your iTunes password, if requested, to confirm.

Your content will download to your Music or Video app.

How to get more help with iCloud

If you still need help with re-downloading apps, games, iBooks, music, TV shows, or music to your iPhone, iPod touch, or iPad, or any other iCloud feature, head on over to our iCloud Forum and ask away!

• How to set up, back up, restore, and update using iCloud
• How to set up and use iCloud mail, contacts, and calendars
• How to set up and use iTunes Match
• How to set up and use Photo Stream
• How to set up and use Documents in the Cloud
• How to set up and use Find my iPhone
• How to set up and use Find my Friends

Ally Kazmucha, Chris Oldroyd, and Gary Mazo contributed major sections of this guide.

Apple has made 1080p TV shows and music available for streaming and purchase via the iTunes Store. The price is the same as the previous 720p HD content, but is the image quality better enough to justify the bigger download sizes and increased storage they'll require?

First of all it's worth remember that, as of now, only the new iPad and the new Apple TV, in addition to iTunes on the desktop, can even play back 1080p content. If you primarily watch your iTunes TV shows and movies on an iPad 2 and iPhone 4S or older device, 720p is all you can play. That makes the choice simple -- there is none.

[Clarification: As pointed out in the comments below, you can load 1080p content onto iPad 2 or iPhone 4S, but the screen density is insufficient to play them at native resolution. For streaming, there's no reason to go 1080p. For purchases, you may want to swallow the size difference and go 1080p simply to future-proof your collection.]

If you're getting the new iPad and/or the new Apple TV, however, you have the choice. With one flip of the Settings, you can go from 720p to 1080p. That makes the choice not so simple.

Ars Technica has taken a look and compared 720p vs 1080p content from iTunes, and the results are surprising. 1080p iTunes content isn't that much bigger than 720p, but still manages to look better.

n the iTunes 10.6 preferences under Store, you can select whether HD downloads come in 720p or 1080p resolution. In the iTunes Store, movies conveniently list the file size for the selected format. A couple of examples: Hugo is 1.74GB in SD, 3.99GB in 720p, and 4.84GB in 1080p. Monty Python and the Holy Grail is 1.00, 2.91, and 3.65 gigabytes, respectively. However, to determine the quality difference, I looked at two (currently free) TV episodes: episode 1 of season 5 of The Big Bang Theory, and the first episode of Awake.

The reason Ars gives is that the new Apple TV supports High Profile H.264 decompression up to level 4.0, while the iPhone 4S and the new iPad support it up to level 4.1. That means they can handle more bits per second, and otherwise better optimize quality vs. file size. However. Ars also found the amount of extra detail in the 1080p versions varied greatly between videos and even within videos. In other words, 1080p didn't always make a big difference to the overall quality of the experience.

While not directly comparable, if you want to look at the difference between 720p and 1080p without buying or downloading entire movies or TV show episodes, iTunes Movies Trailers is a good resource. I checked out a bunch of recent trailers, including The Avengers and noticed not only differences in quality but in color fidelity as well (look at the greens in the image up top). File sizes weren't outrageously different either.

Check out their full report via the link below, and let us know if you're going to be flipping your iTunes switch to 1080p.

Source: Ars Technica

Apple is reportedly planning a redesign for the iTunes Store and App Store for sometime later this year. Apple hasn't introduced a complete overhaul to the iTunes Store interface since late 2009 when they introduced iTunes 9. Mark Gurman at 9to5Mac reports:

The new design is said to be even simpler and more user-friendly than the current design. Apple is working on ways to enhance the speed and efficiency of finding new content, such as songs, videos, and applications. The cornerstone element of Apple’s new iTunes Store is interactivity. As Apple vaguely explained to a number of music labels and entertainment partners, Apple is looking to make the iTunes Store a much more engaging experience. [...] The interactivity that Apple wants within the digital store is something Apple could only likely pull off by housing the store within a full-fledged application, not a pure web browser experience.

They're not sure if this redesign, like iTunes 9, will require a new version number -- iTunes 11 -- or if it will just be rolled into an iTunes 10 point release. However, discoverability is said to be on the agenda, with more interactive ways to find music, movies, apps, and games being a priority. It sounds like iTunes on Windows and Mac is the current focus, and may be timed to coincide with Mac OS X 10.8 Mountain Lion this summer, though the more traditional fall update cycle -- perhaps alongside the iPhone 5 -- could be a more likely possibility.

Source: 9to5Mac

AllThingsD reports that Netflix (and Blockbuster) will be required to wait twice as long, or a full 56 days after DVDs hit retail shelves, before offering Warner Brothers content under a new distribution agreement.

The move is part of Hollywood’s ongoing campaign to bolster flagging DVD sales, and sources tell me the new deal is supposed to be announced at next week’s Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas. Warner Brothers executives have already talked publicly about extending the current window.

Redbox was also included in the initial report, however their parent company Coinstar has made a statement indicating they haven't yet entered into a new contract with Warner Brothers. They are, however, set to renegotiate their contract at the end of January, but have publicly stated they'd look for "workarounds" if studios attempt to double the time window.

While studios may think this type of dumbassery forces people to buy more DVDs, it only forces them to hate the circumvent the customer-hostile studios. Hollywood is once again on the wrong side of history and common sense. Rapid availability and fair pricing is what boosts sales. iTunes taught that to music studios ravaged by Napster and the like a decade ago. Steve Jobs told them at the time their competition was free-as-in-file-sharing. Is Hollywood really this intent on making the recording labels seem like geniuses by comparison?

Here's once again hoping the old-guard gets replaced soon.

Source: All Things Digital

Apple has rolled out a new option for iTunes subscribers called "Complete My Season Pass", which allows users who've downloaded single episodes of any TV show offered in iTunes to download the rest of the full season at a discounted rate.

Apple previously offered a similar option for music, called "Complete My Album", so this is great news for those who use iTunes to purchase and download TV shows as well as music.

You can start using the new feature now in iTunes.

Source: MacRumors

Just like [iTunes Match], iTunes TV Shows in the Cloud seem to be rolling out internationally. TV Shows in the Cloud, part of Apple's iCloud service, allows users to re-download previously purchased TV Show content to iTunes on Mac or Windows, or iOS devices including iPhone, iPod touch, iPad, and Apple TV.

If you're outside the U.S. and you're getting your first fix of iTunes TV Shows in the Cloud, let us know where and how it's working for you!

Last week an iTunes TV show menu suddenly started showing up on international Apple TVs, didn't work, and subsequently disappeared. This week iTunes Match suddenly started showing up for international iTunes users, didn't work, and Apple subsequently offered refunds to those who'd tried to purchase it.

So, we'd suggest waiting until a) Apple makes an official announcement about iTunes Match in your country, or b) significant reports come in of it actually working, before c) you give them any money for it.

Whether or not Apple is planning to officially launch iTunes TV shows and iTunes Match in more regions and someone accidentally lent on the big red "launch" lever at iCloud central a tad early -- twice -- or there's some stranger problem going on is uncertain.

International licensing agreements are complex. Cloud services are complex. But false starts and pull backs seem decidedly un-Apple-like.

Here's hoping iTunes gets their international launches back in order, and officially out the door, asap. If you saw either the here-today-gone-tomorrow TV show menu on Apple TV, or tried and failed to buy iTunes Match outside the US and Brazil, let us know in the comments below.

Apple has posted up a great tip on how to find closed caption TV shows and movies on iTunes.

Closed captioning for the hearing impaired is now available in iTunes for new TV episodes as well as thousands of movies and iTunes U video episodes. As you browse the store you can determine whether the particular content you're looking at has closed caption support by looking for the small cc icon in the info on the left side of their pages. The cc icon also appears in lists of TV episodes and in iTunes U offerings with multiple episodes (e.g. Developing Apps for iOS, from Stanford). To find all the content with closed captioning in Movies, TV or iTunes U, click the Power Search link in Quick LInks in the iTunes store, select the category you want to search within from the Results popup, and check the option to search only for closed captioning before you use the Search button.

On iPhone and iPod touch, Select iPod in General Settings and scroll down to the Video section. On iPad look for the switch in Video in General Settings.

Apple does an amazing job with their accessibility features and hopefully even more TV shows and movies will be made available with closed captioning soon.

If you have any other TV, movie, or accessibility tips for iPhone and iPad, let us know!

Source: Inside iTunes

Daily Tips range from beginner-level 101 to advanced-level ninjary. If you already know this tip, keep the link handy as a quick way to help a friend. If you have a tip of your own you’d like to suggest, add them to the comments or send them in to dailytips@tipb.com. (If it’s especially awesome and previously unknown to us, we’ll even give ya a reward…)

I have to admit I'm still using Netflix to watch TV shows and movies on my iPhone, iPad and Apple TV, though the recent news has gotten me looking into alternatives. I just finished the first season of Damages and really liked it, and Sherlock was cool, but there's a lot of choices out there now. Both Netflix and Crackle have a few old Anime shows I like, and several TV stations and cable and satellite companies have apps so if I miss an episode of the new fall premiers I can probably -- hopefully -- catch it later on my mobile device. But not always. For example, the HBO stuff is awesome and I loved Game of Thrones but it's not available in my area... so what do I do? There's always iTunes but buying is too expensive when I'm only ever going to watch something once. Which brings me to my main point.

Why is this still so hard? I have money. I want to give a reasonable amount of this money to Hollywood so I can watch their TV shows. They've pretty much figured this out for cable and satellite, but I don't have either of those anymore. Why can't they figure out the same type of thing for internet TV? Just let me pay a few dozen dollars a month and give me all the same TV everyone else gets in the old traditional way, along with the commercials if they really have to, and the goofy catalog channels that go with him. Just let me do it on demand.

But they won't, so like I said I'm still with Netflix and all the other apps right now, scattered and fragmented across my poor iPhone and iPod. Unless anyone has any better ideas on how to watch TV shows on iPhone or iPad these days? Any apps you prefer? Anything besides bootleg internet downloads streamed from a PC via AirPlay...?

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.”

Fox seems to confirm the reasoning:

“After carefully considering the results of the rental trial, it became clear that content ownership is a more attractive long-term value proposition both for iTunes customers and for our business. To further enhance the value of ownership, we are working with Apple to make content available within their new cloud-based service.”

Apple announced $0.99 TV Show rentals are part of the all new, all streaming Apple TV in 2010 but never got all the US networks on board, nor did they manage to roll the service out beyond the US. While networks likely felt $0.99 undervalued their content, let's be clear -- it overvalued it. $100 for 100 hours of non-repeatable TV is ridiculous. Subscriptions, which Apple has reportedly been pursuing, make far more sense at scale and volume. Whether the networks will ever agree to that or not is the question. (And at this point there's no evidence iCloud, despite its ideal positioning, will be part of the answer.)

At least we can take some comfort in the fact that nature has shown in knows what to do to dinosaurs.

[All Things D]

Right after Apple added TV Show stream purchases and Vimeo video to Apple TV, our writer at large, Chad Garrett, spotted TV Shows in the Cloud today on his iPhone. It seems Apple has pulled the trigger on TV Show re-downloads, much as they've always allowed for apps and previously announced for music. It's limited to TV Shows (no movies), and to the US for now, but it's nice to see Apple adding functionality to iCloud so quickly -- even before the formal launch this fall.

Are you seeing TV shows under your purchased content in iTunes.app?

Update: Not all shows yet, apparently. Perhaps some networks haven't (yet) agreed to be part of the service?

The New York Times says Netflix may start delivering their first TV show, House of Cards, and it got us wondering if Apple shouldn't get into the production side of show business as well? Netflix might outbid the likes of HBO and AMC to get House of Cards and it would give them original programming that you couldn't get anywhere else. Sony has their own Hollywood studio. Comcast is buying NBC. Will Apple be at a disadvantage if they only deliver content but don't make any themselves. (No, Disney doesn't count -- just because Steve Jobs is the largest shareholder doesn't mean Apple owns it or has exclusive rights to any of their content.)

Apple already has the tools to make TV shows -- Final Cut Pro on Macs. They have iTunes to market, sell, and deliver it. They have iAds if they want to use it. They have clients on Windows, Mac, iPhone, iPad and iPod touch to watch it. All they're missing is the actual content. Sure it could spread Apple too thin and be too far outside their core business but that hasn't stopped Sony and it might not stop Netflix.

What do you think, would a Dr. Horrible-style show, only available on iTunes be an advantage for Apple? Given the increasing competition, will Apple have to do something like that eventually?

[NYT]

Interested in renting TV episodes on your iPad running the shiny new iOS 4.2? If you're in the US, you're in luck. While not all TV networks are on board yet there's still a decent amount of programming and the ability to download it and watch it offline if you're going on a road trip or flying cross country is very convenient. Find out how after the break!

You can now rent TV episodes directly on your iPad for just 99¢ each. Use iTunes and simply tap a show's View button to see the Buy and Rent options. Tap Rent to start the download and the rental clock -- 30 days to start watching and 48 hours to finish once you start. Use the Video app to view downloaded episodes. And if you've upgraded your iPad to iOS 4.2.1 you can use AirPlay to stream episodes directly to other screens on the same wireless network via Apple TV.

Hopefully more networks (and more countries!) will support the service soon. If you've used it, let us know how it worked for you, and if you prefer getting your TV from somewhere other than iTunes rentals, let us know where!

Bonus tip: TV rentals also work on iPhone and iPod touch.

[iTunes News]

Tips of the day will range from beginner-level 101 to advanced-level ninjary. If you already know this tip, keep the link handy as a quick way to help a friend. If you have a tip of your own you'd like to suggest, add them to the comments or send them in to dailytips@tipb.com. (If it's especially awesome and previously unknown to us, we'll even give ya a reward...)

"People familiar with the situation" (yes, them again) have told the Wall Street Journal that both Fox and ABC are good to go on $0.99 iTunes TV show rentals, and will be announced later today at Apple's special music event. Since ABC is owned by Disney, whose largest shareholder is Steve Jobs, their getting on board isn't a huge surprise. Likewise, Rupert Murdoch, owner of Fox, introduced Jobs at D8 and is all up in Apple rescuing print media (like the Wall Street Journal) and TV alike.

NBC, recently sold to Comcast -- whose cable empire would compete with iTunes -- and CBS, who likely isn't sure what these new fangled 'puters and gizmos are all about anyway, is disappointing but also not surprising.

How this will mix and match with Netflix and other, similar apps already on iPad and iPhone -- and rumored to be coming to a new Apple TV -- is also unknown. $0.99 a pop might not be enough for myopic media companies, but compared to a far bigger Netflix pipe at $10-$15 per month, it's likely too much for high volume consumers.

[Wall Street Journal]

Chad says we buried the lede: Bloomberg also claims Apple's annual special music -- and this time TV -- event will be held September 7. That's not official, of course. We'll only know for sure when Apple sends out the invitations.

Remember those rumors of $0.99 iTunes TV show rentals? They're back. This time with word that FOX-owner Newcorp is in "advanced talks" over the service. CBS and Disney (which has Steve Jobs as their largest share holder) are also rumored to be involved.

Rentals would last 48hrs and would bring even more content to the newly launched iPad and iPhone 4, and upcoming iPod touch 4 and... iOS Apple TV/iTV?

According to Bloomberg Apple originally wanted to offer subscription a la carte TV, which failed due to networks not wanting to put their relationships with cable companies in jeopardy. (Sigh).

While a la cart TV exists outside the US (I pay $20 for 20 a la carte channels on my provider) it hasn't been adopted by existing American providers. Would $0.99 rentals be a good alternative? Just one show a day would average $30 a month, so even if it's a step in the right direction, it's a tiny little hesitant one. And it doesn't even begin to address live sporting events.

In an ideal world iTunes and iOS would be a complete, non-linear, on-demand TV replacement. Absent that, are individual ABC, Hulu +, and MLB apps are better solution? Or do we really have to wait for the dinosaurs of old media to become extinct simply so that consumers can pay them to watch what we want, when we want, and where we want?

[Bloomberg]

The Wall Street Journal reports that, with the iPad arriving in stores and on doorsteps in just a few weeks, Apple is still "scrambling" to secure content deals for their magical and revolutionary new device. Why?

Apple hasn't yet reached a deal with many major TV producers on the price cut, these people said. Some are concerned a price cut could hurt their existing businesses, these people said, including jeopardizing the tens of billions of dollars in subscription fees they are paid by cable and satellite companies for their traditional TV networks.

At the same time, some magazine and newspaper publishers said they are hamstrung by several factors that could delay the apps they are developing for the iPad from being ready by the time of the device's release.

iBooks is the exception, but is it because book publishers are smarter, more desperate for the digital age, or just softened by existing devices like the Kindle? 9to5Mac provides our favorite answer to why TV and other companies aren't racing to embrace the iPad: they're self-destructively crazy (via the Viacom vs. Youtube lawsuit):

For years, Viacom continuously and secretly uploaded its content to YouTube, even while publicly complaining about its presence there. It hired no fewer than 18 different marketing agencies to upload its content to the site. It deliberately "roughed up" the videos to make them look stolen or leaked. It opened YouTube accounts using phony email addresses. It even sent employees to Kinko's to upload clips from computers that couldn't be traced to Viacom. And in an effort to promote its own shows, as a matter of company policy Viacom routinely left up clips from shows that had been uploaded to YouTube by ordinary users. Executives as high up as the president of Comedy Central and the head of MTV Networks felt "very strongly" that clips from shows like The Daily Show and The Colbert Report should remain on YouTube.

Viacom's efforts to disguise its promotional use of YouTube worked so well that even its own employees could not keep track of everything it was posting or leaving up on the site. As a result, on countless occasions Viacom demanded the removal of clips that it had uploaded to YouTube, only to return later to sheepishly ask for their reinstatement. In fact, some of the very clips that Viacom is suing us over were actually uploaded by Viacom itself.

Dear Hollywood, hire some young, new-media savvy executives, sign deals with Apple, Google, Microsoft, etc. Give us your content, your TV shows, movies, magazines, newspapers, comic books, and everything else at a fair price and under fair terms, and we'll give you our money with ridiculous abandon. Everyone will be happy. B'okay?

Financial Times is reporting that Apple might just be set to test drive $1 iTunes TV downloads as part of their iPad launch in March:

Some television networks agreed to the lower prices after months of negotiations, and having initially resisted Apple’s push. Media executives are under pressure from declining DVD sales and cut-rate rental services such as Redbox, that offer rental DVDs for $1.

Not all networks say they've been approached, and being networks some may still refuse, but if the test is successful they'd be complete idiots not to jump on board (which means, of course, some won't).

Competing with "free as in pirated" is a tough model but Apple showed music how to do it with the $0.99 price point (while it lasted). Hopefully the networks pay attention. Selling iTunes TV for more than it costs on DVDs isn't only consumer-hostile, it's simply bad business.

[Financial Times via Macrumors]

It currently costs $1.99 for a standard definition TV on iTunes, and rumor has it Apple is pushing the networks to halve that price, making it just $1.

Apple's belief, media executives said, is that drastically cutting prices could spur sales of TV shows on the iTunes digital entertainment storefront, which have so far frustrated Apple executives.

Apple does not disclose video sales data, but analysts have said they were a small contributor to the store's estimated $2bn sales in 2009.

It would also halve the price of "season passes" which currently cost far more than buying the DVD season set of the same show. Whether this would be in addition to, or instead of, the rumored subscription TV service is unknown.

Unlike music which was devastated by piracy and print media which is facing soaring costs and declining revenue, TV and movies still make some money, which means their executives are less inclined to evolve beyond old-world thinking (we'd even go so far as to say consumer-hostile thinking at times).

Apple has always believed their competition was "free as in piracy" and wants to price their media low enough that convenience and conscience win out -- it's easier and you feel better about just buying it via iTunes.

Is Apple right about TV? Is $1 that magic price?

[Financial Times via Business Insider via Gizmodo]

According to the Wall Street Journal, CBS (and CW) and Disney (ABC, Disney Channel, ABC Family) and considering Apple's (unannounced yet previously rumored) subscription TV service. To throw nebulous fuel on the imaginary fire, the WSJ adds:

The proposed service by the maker of iPhones and iPod music players could, in at least some scenarios, offer access to some TV shows from a selection of major U.S. television networks for a monthly fee, according to people familiar with the discussions. Apple is pushing to complete licensing deals and hopes to introduce the service in 2010, some of those people said. It is unclear whether any networks have signed on yet.

No names, no networks, but is there a story? Maybe. The mere idea of Apple doing for digital television what they did for digital music -- rip it from the hands of old, unresponsive media companies and give it to consumers in an easy, a la carte form -- is compelling enough to account for some of the chatter.

Hey, even in Canada where I have $20 for 20 a la carte channels already from my local cable company, their horrible PVR boxes, lack of channels, and the idea that offering $5 for the first 3 episodes of the original 90210 is "on-demand TV", the idea of Apple offering a real Apple TV makes me giddy.

And Disney always makes sense to mention as an early Apple partner, seeing as how Steve Jobs is their biggest shareholder and a member of their board of directors... But as much as I want to believe it, as much as it may even be true, there's nothing to say it really is yet. Though that doesn't mean a good dose of mythical iTablet wouldn't help:

Apple is revamping iTunes as it finalizes its plans for a tablet device, which is meant to be a multimedia gadget, according to people briefed about the product. The multimedia tablet is expected to be larger than an iPhone but smaller than a laptop computer. People briefed by Apple say the company is aiming to launch it by the end of March.

Alrighty then. You want?

According to MediaMemo, Google might be looking to ink an agreement with networks to let YouTube stream TV shows -- for $1.99, just like iTunes (and Amazon).

Of course, when you pay iTunes $1.99 you get a local copy of the TV show on your PC -- to keep -- and the ability to view it from iTunes or Apple TV or iPhone or iPod and back. Now all those devices can hook into YouTube (it's built into Apple TV and iPhone/iPod touch) but do consumers really want to pay the same for a stream as a download, especially if there's no guarantee (yet?) that you can "pay once, stream forever on all devices"?

Executives at YouTube and TV insist that the disparity is simply a perception problem and cite studies showing that most people who download TV episodes only watch them once, anyway. But that’s a tough sell.

Um, yeah, no. I've watched some episodes of some shows a dozen or more times. Still, Google's a huge player, YouTube has a dominant streaming video footprint, and it will be interesting to see what, if any, deal emerges, and how this mythical service would compete with the mythical iTunes TV subscriptions we've also heard rumored.

What say you?

MediaMemo is hearing that Apple Internet exec, Eddy Cue, has been tasked with exploring a $30/month iTunes TV Show subscription service:

A so-called “over the top” service could theoretically rival the ones most consumers already buy from cable TV operators — if Apple is able to get enough buy-in from broadcast and cable TV programmers.

Disney, with Steve Jobs its largest shareholder, pops up as among the first to potentially get on board.

Unlimited TV on your iPhone, Mac/PC, Apple TV, and maybe... iTablet with one monthly fee. You want?

(Re: iTablet, sure would make a nifty announcement to go along with the iTablet, like movie rentals did at Macworld 2008 for Apple TV Take 2....)

Previously twice rumored and now recently made real during the WWDC 2009, iPhone 3.0 GM (gold master) sees the on-device iTunes app, which previously added the ability to download video podcasts in iPhone 2.2, round out its content with movies, TV shows, music videos, iTunes U, and audio books.

To make room, the tabs at the bottom lose Top Tens and Downloads and now include Videos (movies, TV, music video) and a standard More icon, which gives access to a screen offering Audio Books and iTunes U, as well as the displaced Downloads and relocated Redeem (for gift certificate codes).

Like with the iPod App, an Edit button lets you drag around tab icons to lay things out just the way you want them. Also, like with video podcasts, music, and App Store apps, 3G isn't an option for anything over 10MB -- which for video we imagine will be almost everything -- so have your Wi-Fi standing by.

More pics after the break...

[Thanks to Muero for the screenshots!]

Not sure when they -- finally -- flipped this switch, but this morning when I fired up iTunes I was greeted with a full on content party -- US TV productions from ABC, NBC, CBS, FOX, and Warner Brothers are now available for Canadians to download in both standard and high definition.

Prices are $3.49 for HD (which includes an SD copy for your iPhone or iPod) and/or $2.49 for SD all by its lonesome.

So, if you don't mind paying for a-la-carte programming a day later but sans commercials, loves you the HD option, and you live in the True North Strong and Free-ish, apparently this week is Canada Day come early!

Unsubstantiated rumor? Check. First time source? Check. Friend who wants to remain nameless? Check. That's it then it's crazy iPhone screenshot time!

The above come from Kwame Jones via Ars Technica and while I'm perfectly willing to believe Apple would extend their on-device music and podcast (including video podcast) download service to include movies and TV shows, and that we'd get early warning by way of leaked screenshots, I just can't bring myself to believe this part of the story:

This revelation, (again at least to me) comes by way of an advertisement in the new ad supported version of the app Twitterfon released on 5/15/09. Three ads, stumbled upon by a geeky friend of mine who wishes to remain anonymous for fear of the powerful arms of the Apple legal department, scrolling across the top of the app were for ‘iTunes Movies’, ‘iTunes TV’ and ‘iTunes Movie Rentals’.

Could Apple accidentally post content pre-official release? Sure, happens to everyone. But to advertise it through a network placement pre-release? Not since Steve Jobs walked the MobileMe hallways with a flamethrower, I'd wager.

If the service is for real, AT&T would no doubt impose the usual 10MB cap on 3G downloads, though Wi-Fi would work. 3G streaming, like with SlingPlayer Mobile, might just bring the network down like the towers of paper antenna it's thus far proven to be.

Ifs, ands, and buts, aside, would you want on-device downloads for your TV and movies?

Even if we get a 32GB iPhone this year, that will still limit the amount of big, blobby iTunes movie content we can carry around with us. Sure, maybe 20 movies at 1GB each is doable, but as video and sound quality increase towards the HD, and collections grow and grow, the ability to stream content to mobile devices becomes key.

So it's not too surprising Apple Insider reports iTunes Replay is looking to provide just such a streaming service:

iTunes Replay would arrive on the heels of last month's report that Apple has shifted its online content delivery strategy to include a provider in Limelight Networks, joining longtime Apple partner Akamai Technologies. Having two different providers could help greatly optimize the delivery of streaming content to the millions of customers who use iTunes.

Personally, while I'd enjoy the ability to stream iTunes to my iPhone, I'd never buy anything that I couldn't also store locally as a backup. Too many online media services have gone offline over the years, effectively stealing back the content their users had legally paid for. However, it's definitely an option I'd like on-the-go. What I'd like even more? The ability to use a Back to My Mac-like connection to stream my own content to my iPhone, you know... like SlingMedia Player.

Anyone psyched for this?

Big Media, which pretty much makes the loons in Big Music seem reasonable, witnessed NBC have the distributive equivalent of a hissy fit last year when they pulled their content from iTunes. At issue? They wanted more control over pricing. They said they wanted lower prices. Anyone ever seen media lower prices on anything established? No. Us neither.

Apple said NBC wanted to be able to charge up to $4.99 per episode of TV, much of which was 22 min. long and had already aired "for free", and that they wanted to be able to bundle content together so, for example, if you wanted Hot Show X, you had to take Dud Show Y as well. Anyone ever seen media overcharge, re-release "Special Editions" to double dip, and raise the prices of movie downloads to DVD levels (when it costs them nothing to distribute and includes none of the bonuses typically packaged with a DVD)? Yeah. All the time.

Still want to give NBC the benefit of the doubt? Remember, one of their demands for coming back was that Apple block non-commercial content from iPods and iPhones. I.e., if you can't prove you bought your show specifically for the iPhone (no content swapping from your PVR! And no home movies!), you're a de facto pirate.

After trying all sorts of disruptive alternate markets, including giving their content ("their" in that they own it, but typically did not create, direct, produce, star, or otherwise do anything but cull and cancel it), away for free on Hulu (to people in the US, at least) along with a back-door onto the iPhone, and through other online distribution models, at Apple's September "Let's Rock" event, it was announced NBC was coming back to iTunes.

The results? Check them out after the break...

Pundit link-baiters quickly claimed victory for NBC, since old (catalog) shows would cost $0.99, recent shows $1.99, and the newly announced HD shows, $2.99. NBC likewise claimed they'd "won". Apple's VP of Internet Services, Eddy Cue quickly pointed out Apple has always had those price points (while HD TV Shows were new, HD Movies were already priced 1$ higher than SD), and NBC had merely skulked come back to the table.

We guess getting around $2 a pop for TV you'd already shown "for free" and would still sell (often for less, you @$$#0!3s!) on DVD, Blu Ray, and into syndication, was too cherry too ignore.

Given over 1 million NBC shows were downloaded since "the return" -- admittedly, many offered as promotional freebies -- our guess might be right. In fact, Hollywood Reporter says:

On iTunes, about 30% of the top-selling episodes and season passes now comprise shows either airing on or produced by NBC Uni.

And that's before the new season starts.

Dear NBC. You're welcome. Love Apple.