Lionsgate is working with Apple to provide Digital Copy for iTunes, affording customers who purchase DVD and Blu-ray movies with an additional iTunes Digital Copy of the movie.
Just like movies purchased from the iTunes Store, an iTunes Digital Copy can be transferred to iTunes and then viewed on a PC or Mac, iPod with video, iPhone or on widescreen television with Apple TV. It can be considered as a form of Blu-ray's "Managed Copy" feature, which has been heavily discussed in the past and will allow consumers the ability to move content from disc to PCs and portable devices, while it does not enable copying.
The first Lionsgate DVDs to debut with iTunes Digital Copy will be the special edition DVD and Blu-ray releases of "Rambo," and "The Eye,". "Rambo" will be available at retail May 27th and "The Eye" will be released on DVD this summer. Lionsgate and Apple will deliver numerous additional Lionsgate films on DVD with iTunes Digital Copy later this year.
"Digital Copy for iTunes is a perfect example of how packaged media and new digital technology can work hand in hand for the benefit of our consumers," said Steve Beeks, President and co-Chief Operating Officer of Lionsgate.
"Now movie fans can easily transfer a copy of many Lionsgate films onto iTunes and bring it with them on their iPod or iPhone," said Eddy Cue, Apple's vice president of iTunes.
The new iTunes Digital Copy provides a way to transfer a DVD purchase to a user's iTunes library. Once a customer buys the DVD, he or she inserts it into their computer, enters a unique code into iTunes, and the movie is automatically copied to their iTunes library. Customers own the iTunes Digital Copy of the movie and it has all of the viewing options as other iTunes Store video content, including the ability to be viewed on a computer, iPod with video, iPhone and widescreen television with Apple TV. Each DVD will only transfer its iTunes Digital Copy to one iTunes library. An iTunes account is required.