Apple’s iTunes service is rumoured to be working on a service allowing users to download and rent movies, so says Zeropaid. This addition to the standard iTunes service, expected to be launched as early as this Autumn, would allow a 30-day rental of your favourite films for as little as $3 — around the same as a video from Blockbuster Video.Why is this any better than Blockbuster video or, for instance, Netflix? Well you don’t have to return the movie, for one. Any downsides? You can watch your movie on your computer, telephone, or ipod, just not that nice big living-room television set that you’ve got. Additionally, the large download might be a problem for those of us with slightly lethargic internet connections, meaning a movie in the post — or a trip down to a traditional video store, shock! Horror! - might actually be quicker and a lot more convenient.

We still think it fills a gap in the market, though. Being able to watch the movie on your iPod or iPhone is a huge bonus — imagine being able to keep the kids quiet on long car journeys. Imagine being able to keep yourself quiet when commuting to work, for example. It’s an excellent idea and we can see it being really rather popular.

Zeropaid opines that this is a true ‘on-demand’ service in every sense. We disagree: we very much doubt the Zeropaid staff will be downloading the Lord of the Rings Trilogy while on the train. Nevertheless it’s nearly on demand, and that’s what we think they meant.

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