iTunes video streaming?

Apple is preparing an instant streaming option for video at the iTunes Store, a report claims. Said to be named iTunes Replay, the service would be similar in concept to Netflix's "Watch Instantly" option, which allows people to stream material that has already been paid for in a different medium. In the case of Replay, users would be able to watch movies and TV shows that have already been bought in download form.

Though it is not clear whether Replay would require an extra fee, the main advantages of the service would be space and redundancy, as shoppers could do away with local files while still retaining some form of access. The limited storage of an Apple TV could also become a moot point, and streaming might theoretically become possible to iPhones and iPod touches, which boast a mobile version of QuickTime.

Aiding rumors is the addition last month of Limelight Networks as an Apple hosting service, complementing existing provider Akamai Technologies. Significant extra capacity could be required to run Replay, given its potential popularity and what would be a hybrid delivery system. The service is further expected to demand an update to iTunes, if not to a v9.x revision.

by MacNN Staff