According to a report by AppleInsider, Apple may introduce a service that sells 1080p movies via iTunes called the ‘iTunes HD+,’ and the new HD service could be launched as early as September.
At the moment, Apple only offers videos that have a maximum resolution of 720p. As the website notes, Apple’s Chief Executive Officer Steve Jobs is not looking for Blu-Ray drive support on Mac computers. The only way to watch 1080p videos is to use an alternative service or download via illegal sources.
AppleInsider also said that a number of movies that include documentation for an optional Full-HD resolution have been submitted to Apple’s iTunes. If 1080p videos come to Apple, then we can expect the reported iPad HD and the rumored Apple TV will be capable to stream 1080p movies. The Apple TV converts 1080p movies to 720p due to shortage in power.
Apparently, Apple has the capabilities to distribute 1080p videos to consumers, but they should be able to maintain a downlink of 10 megabits per second, which is required by HD+ files to stream in real time. Most connections in residential areas don’t reach that speed, with the average connection speed being 5.1 megabits. So, the company may offer HD+ movies as direct downloads or make it available to users whose connections can support them.
New smartphones already enable 1080p, so it’s great news that Apple is doing ways to catch up with its rivals.
via: ZDnet
