Apple Sells 1 Million Videos in Under 20 Days 478
olddotter writes "Apple has sold over 1 million videos through iTunes since the release of the Video iPod service. Personally I am surprised by this success, it raises many questions. Will this encourage more people to put their video content on the iTunes store? Is there a vast market for cheaper stuff at reduced prices? Why am I willing to pay more for music than I would for video?"
Hot Damn (Score:5, Interesting)
Oh the insanity! (Score:5, Interesting)
Even when iTunes first came out I thought that was a bit pricey and that the price would eventually drop. Doesn't appear to be the case. But $1.99 for tv shows seems to be a good deal as long as they cut the commercials out, or at least most of them.
This could usher in a whole new era for TV, and I wouldn't miss cable or satellite one bit.
Front Row integration? (Score:5, Interesting)
It's my (utterly unsubstantiated) belief that Front Row will appear in iLife 06, and that then a Mac Mini playing these videos on a TV will start to make quite a lot of sense.
Cheers,
Ian
Please educate me, iTunes video buyers (Score:1, Interesting)
Please take my money. (Score:3, Interesting)
Re:Hot Damn (Score:5, Interesting)
That's exactly what they're trying to prove to the movie industry. Apple is demonstrating that it's possible to do the same thing it did with Music to Movies. And the movie industry will have the added benefit of being apple to skip right past the bulk of pirating (if they get they're heads out of the sand).
Comparing song sales vs. video sales (Score:5, Interesting)
So what does this mean? Who knows, but it seems as if the videos are really damn popular. I'd kill, however, to see which ones were more popular than others...
I think what'd be the real killer app for mobile video would be shorts like comedy, commercials, trailers, etc.
Apple are you listening? Use what you have already, most movies push trailers, and most commercial creators would DIE to get their bits on the iPod, and there're some totally awesome commercials that are pieces of art in their own right! Imagine a vid-cast of bits from The Daily Show, or a 5 minute part of a standup routine, too.. great for showing people at lunch/etc.
This is what I've been waiting for (Score:5, Interesting)
I look at South Park, Dead Like Me, and my Battlestar Galactica fix and I say "Buy the season on DVD". My wife wants Buffy the Vampire Slayer seasons 1-6 and DVD is the way to go.
I look at Star Trek Deep Space 9 and I say "Got to get me some DVD's.....HOLY SHIT CAN YOU BELIEVE WHAT PARAMOUNT WANTS FOR THAT? MIGHTY PROUD OF THE STAR TREK AREN'T WE GUYS?"
Then I think about it and there probably weren't 10 episodes of DS9 I really want anyway. Maybe 10 if I push it. 20 bucks for those 10 episodes and screw the rest of it because it wasn't all that good anyway? I'm in.
Of course IF Paramount ever lets them sell episodes of Star Trek (and flavor) on iTunes they'll probably demand that they sell for $9.99 each or some insane amount of money that will screw the whole deal up anyway.
Re:vintage videos (Score:3, Interesting)
I think that this is an ideal use of the medium. When you watch Lost or Desperate Housewives on iTunes or iPod, you are giving up the beautiful HD of the broadcast (or the torrent, if you prefer). But these old TV shows will lose little on the tiny screen. For some, it might even bring back fond memories of sitting across the room from a small-screen TV.
Re:More? (Score:5, Interesting)
And frankly, I'm spending about the same as I would have for DVDs in the store. Season one of iTunes is $34.99 -- I saw it in Target for the same. And yes, per download I'm paying more for season two, but I'm also getting it instantly. Spread out over time, it's roughly the same.
I would have never gotten so into Lost without the iPod, so ABC is definitely right to say they're excited that this is a new way to reach a broader audience.
I'm just amazed how great that iPod video looks on a television. Granted, TVs are crap resolution, but even on my 32" Sony it looks great.
So if the iPod created a halo effect for the Mac, this iPod video will surely change the way we watch TV. It's already changed how I do.
Re:vintage videos (Score:4, Interesting)
It will happen eventually. I don't know if you've seen them yet, but many stores are now carrying the $1.00 DVDs of many old shows. Everything from episodes of Laurel and Hardy to Rocky Jones Space Ranger (you've got to see this show, even just for the comedic effect) are now appearing on the shelves.
However, I have a feeling that it will be a while before they show up on iTunes. Jobs doesn't want to make the same mistake as MovieLink [movielink.com] and find himself in the position of *only* selling old shows. Once iTunes is established a way of distributing new content, only then will Jobs allow for virtual reruns.
Re:Well, duh... (Score:5, Interesting)
you make the point that the RIAA is trying to make everyone think, but a feature length movie makes all the music ever made by metallica seem like chump change in comparison.
you can record and master an entire album with less than 10 people INCLUDING THE BAND. you cant make a movie with less than 30 people. (Grips, techs and film/sound is more than 2/3rds that number already and there are no actors, makeup, extras, special efx,security,etc...)
and sorry, but a DVD has at least another 50-90% in man hours of content added to it on top of the movie.
Other than pure unadulterated obscene greed, there is no reason that a CD costs more than a DVD.
Re:More? (Score:3, Interesting)
Re:Oh the insanity! (Score:3, Interesting)
I wonder how much of a cut a producer would get for a download of CSI or Lost and how much they get per viewer on cable/satelite? Let's face facts, if the producers of these shows get 50 cents to the download versus 10 cents per viewer for the TV time slot it makes business sense not to care as much. Sure, they'd lose advertising dollars but if it's bringing in more subscribers it would be more profitable in the long run.
Re:Christopher Walken Effect (Score:5, Interesting)
I was the dolly grip, which means every shot in that video in which the camera was moving (except the one where he gets on the escalator) is me moving the camera (dare I say, dancing with Mr. Walken?)
No royalties for me.
But the iTunes store has validated that video as one of the greatest of all time.
Here [frogbeater.com] are some behind the scenes shots if anyone is interested.
That would be me, standing behind the camera.
Re:More? (Score:3, Interesting)
If he does, and enough people do likewise, that means that blu-ray and hd-dvd will be still-born, just like the mobility of mp3s have killed DVD-Audio and Super-Audio CD.
Point 3 is wrong (Score:3, Interesting)
There's a lot of people around willing to buy video without an iPod. I doubt video purchases for iPods are even the majority of cases.
Re:More? (Score:2, Interesting)
$34.99 in iTunes gets you Season 1 of Lost at 320x200 resolution. Isn't that really expensive?
Re:Well, duh... (Score:2, Interesting)
That's because you've gotten it backwards.
Man: I don't know about this whole car thing, I'm not going to use it very often.
Car salesman: This car is $15,000.
Man: Now that paved roads are everywhere and my job is five miles away, I need a car and I'll use it every day.
Car salesman: Ok, well now cars cost $20,000.
The price of goods increases as their value to customers increases...it's supply and demand.
tech demo (Score:3, Interesting)
if you threw out one video purchase for every one video ipod customer, i think the numbers might be a lot different. weren't a million nanos sold in a few weeks?
Re:Comparing song sales vs. video sales (Score:3, Interesting)
Where'd you get that idea? The video is perfectly viewable on a computer monitor; I bought an episode of "Lost" and got perfectly good video on my 17" CRT. It wasn't anywhere near DVD quality, more like a good-quality VCR recording from analog TV -- but the detail was fine and I could enjoy it from the couch halfway across the room.
I buy music from iTMS all the time, even though I don't own an iPod; I'm positive I'm not the only one. iTMS plays well with iPods, but there's no requirement there. The video and audio are both just as enjoyable on the desktop as they are in your pocket.
Re: This is what I've been waiting for (Score:4, Interesting)
I thought about this the other day.
7 Seasons of TNG at $100/season = $700
7 Seasons of DS9 at $100/season = $700
7 Seasons of VOY at $100/season = $700
4 Seasons of ENT at $100/season = $400
$2500 and that doesnt even include TOS or your local sales tax!! Paramount bite my shiny metal ass if they want me to pay $2500+tax for star trek (for about 500 episodes). If the price went below $1,000, I'd be much more inclined to consider it. And think of who your audience is? A bunch of geeks and nerds, you dont think they know how to get a copy of DVD decryptor, a netflix subscription and a 500GB HD? Hell, I saw Sex in the City for $165 for the entire 5 season series (20 discs) in the Best Buy ad this weekend.
$2500 vs $800 in hard drives (2x500 - one for backup) + $200 for a netflix sub to get all the DVDs + free time
Re:More? (Score:3, Interesting)
In fact, Tivo has already announced software you can use to move Tivo2Go content to your pod.
All of this is just the smallest toe dipped into the water...
Re:Well, duh... (Score:3, Interesting)
You probably need more than one person if you want to make a life-action movie, but even then, I'm pretty sure that 30 aren't strictly needed - you'd also be able to do a movie with 29, or even 20, or 10, if you just tried.
Re:You're surprised? (Score:3, Interesting)
In the world of wasting yer money on stupid, ephemeral stuff for digital gizmos...
In 2000, Americans spent $60 billion on carbonated soft drinks. linky [saveharry.com]. That is flavored sugar water with the addition of carbon dioxide that costs something like pennies a gallon to make. They have no nutritional value, are not very effective in quenching thirst, and are bad for your teeth and stomach.
People should spend more money on rigntones in my opinion.
Independents still struggling on iTMS (Score:3, Interesting)
Re:Christopher Walken Effect (Score:2, Interesting)
Last time someone in the audience said "You hate set painters?" referring to the "worker that is being harmed by piracy" in the ad.
Workers don't lose out from piracy, producers and content owners do. They are the ones that can afford the politicians to create laws on their behalf and lawyers if the laws aren't created on their behalf. If I could afford lawyers and politicians then then I would get royalties too.
Those people in the ads are laborors and don't miss out on royalties.
Re:Europe ringtones - the business model (Score:2, Interesting)
Re:2.5"? eew. (Score:3, Interesting)
Oh, wait.