At Home with Tech

If you like downloading your movie trailers, you’re in big trouble.
Apple is quietly removing this functionality from iTunes Movie Trailers.
Now, it’s streaming only!

I really like movie trailers.
A lot.

A well-crafted movie trailer can capture the essence of a really great movie.

I’ve got a little folder in my iMac with all my favorite movie trailers from the past few years. Plus, they live in smaller form in iTunes so I can watch them on my iPhone.

Sometimes I just like watching my trove of trailers on the train during my daily commute as a Road Warrior.
(call me wacky)

So yes, I like having my little collection of movie trailers, thank you very much.
But I’ve paid nothing for the privilege.

And once you download the trailer, you essentially own the file.

I suspect there are a bunch of Hollywood folks out there intent on killing my joy, because they feel they’ve left some money on the table.

And I wouldn’t be surprised if they’ve been having a few lunches with Apple lately.

Now You See It… Now You Don’t!
Depending how you look at it, May 22 in history has not been a fabulous day:

• 334 BC – Alexander the Great defeats Darius III of Persia
• 1931 – Canned rattlesnake meat goes on sale in Florida
• 1992 – Johnny Carson leaves the Tonight Show
• 2013 – Apple quietly eliminates QuickTime movie trailer downloads in iTunes

What?!

Suddenly, every new QuickTime movie trailer posted after May 22 is no longer downloadable…

And it’s just a matter of time until Apple’s older downloadable inventory is erased from existence as the newer trailers replace them!

It’s a slow, but sure downgrade.

This is bad.

(pause)

But it gets worse.

Before, you could download a trailer in glorious 1080p.
Not anymore.
And guess what? You can’t stream it in 1080p either!
Because 720p is the largest streaming size Apple has ever served up.

So you can kiss your entire 1080p movie trailer viewing experience goodbye.
(at least via iTunes Movie Trailers)

If you’re starting to hyperventilate, I recommend you go to the phone and call
1-800-I’m a Nerd.

I’ve done the research, and I’m estimating there are about seventeen other people who seem to care about this dastardly secret I’ve uncovered.
(Actually, MacRumors broke the story.)

Everyone else can go happily about your life.

1080p Is So Yesterday?
Streaming your movie trailers might be fine as long as you have a strong Internet connection.
Without one, you’re going to have to wait a while before watching anything!

But if streaming is now the new norm for watching your trailers, you’d feel a bit better if you had the consolation prize to at least stream your movie trailers in 1080p.

Other websites are streaming 1080p…
(like YouTube)
What’s up with Apple?

In an ever evolving 1080p/3D/4K world of more pixels, Apple has inexplicably ceded a leadership position and taken a step in the opposite direction, settling comfortably back to the ‘HD light’ flavor of 720p.

You know, I think it’s time to write a letter…

Dear Apple…
I don’t really know why you’ve chosen to forsake the movie trailer lovers of the world.
(in fact, nobody seems to)

Yes, maybe you’ve been getting pressure from the movie moguls, but you’ve been quietly reacting without public comment.

Please know that we’d really like the download option back, please.
(including those 1080p files)

I can guess being in the movie trailer distribution business has probably not been a profitable venture for you.
(It’s been a free QuickTime service up until now…)

And Hollywood is probably giving you some pressure.

So if this is about money… that’s okay.

Please come up with some new ‘i-Service’ that includes the movie trailer downloads, and I’ll send over more money.
(I’m already happily paying significant green to maintain my own ‘i-Life.‘
A few more dollars won’t matter.)

Just, please… restore my little joy.

Your friend,

-Barrett

(sigh)