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Al Fasoldt's reviews and commentaries, continuously available online since 1983

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Is Apple turning iTunes into iVideo?


May 26, 2004


By Al Fasoldt
Copyright © 2004, Al Fasoldt
Copyright © 2004, The Post-Standard

   Is Apple coming up with a video iPod? Rumors at Mac fan sites say a vPod is on the way, but I have another idea.
   I think Apple is going to unveil something I'll call "iFilm." Or maybe "iVideo." It would be a new generation version of iTunes, the industry leader in audio "jukebox" software, that would play video and films as well as audio.
   Whatever Apple might call this as-yet-unconfirmed program, I'm convinced it's coming soon. I think Steve Jobs and his engineers appreciate the goldmine they have in iTunes ? it's the most popular music program on the planet, available in both Mac and Windows versions, and it's the highway to music-sales heaven for Apple's impecable iTunes Music Store ? and I'm sure they also know how easily they can update iTunes using the update software built into every OS X Macintosh.
   Apple has a huge advantage over Microsoft here. Apple is able to push out updates to particular programs at will; Microsoft does semi-automated updates to Windows itself, not to other software. This means Apple can make changes to iTunes any time it wants.
   With me so far? Suppose Apple decided to change the nature of iTunes. Suppose it wanted to turn iTunes into iVideo? Your iTunes software would then be able to show videos, too. This sort of "stealth" upgrade could happen almost in secret; no one would know about it until Apple was ready to spring it on the world.
   Unless, of course, Apple wanted to give you and me a teaser before it actually unveiled its new software. It might plant some sort of video on one of the Apple Web sites and invite everyone to play it. When Mac owners clicked on the link, it would be shown in iTunes -- sound and video, displayed in super-definition living color.
   Ah, if only -- right? If only Apple would do such a thing.
   Listen up. Apple's already done it.
   Apple's already upgraded iTunes so that it can show super-definition video. With superb hi-fi sound, of course. (After all, this is iTunes, the world's best music software.)
   Want proof? Go to http://www.apple.com/trailers/disney/the_incredibles/ and view one of the two preview videos for "The Incredibles" from Disney and Pixar. You'll have a choice of the theatrical trailer or the preview demo.
   Choose the highest quality, full-screen version. Notice that the link will tell you that the video requires iTunes. After the file downloads, it will play. In glorious wide-screen, wide-excitement video, full screen, inside iTunes.
   I was blown away. I've never seen an Internet video that looked so good or sounded so thrilling. My subwoofer was woofing, my tweeters were tweeting and my old desk chair turned itself into a front-row seat at the movies. My only regret was that the video ended too soon.
   What's Apple up to? I think Apple is about to launch a video version of the iTunes Music Store. Remember: Apple has the highest percentage of owners with wide-screen monitors in the computer business. And the highest ratio of users with large-screen standard monitors, too. Apple users are serious about what they watch.
   Wide-screen movies look spectacular on Apple's LCD cinema monitors. My wife's wide-screen iMac would make an ideal playback center for Hollywood movies and HDTV videos. I've already got a corner of the house ready for the big day.
   Here's what I think Apple will do. For a few dollars, you'll be able to rent a video or movie from the iVideo Store. iTunes (or whatever it will be called then) will download your movies in the background, while you're doing anything else. You'll be able to watch them as many times as you want for a week. After that, the files will delete themselves.
   Sound like a plan? I'd go for it. How about you? And how about Apple? Is it actually going to do such a thing? All I can do is guess, and my hunch is telling me I'll be watching "video on demand" before long on that wide-screen iMac, right in that empty corner of my living room.