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HBO heads to iTunes

May 13, 2008 Paul Thurrott | Paul Thurrott's Supersite for Windows

Can we finally put the "no variable pricing on iTunes" baloney to the side. It's never really been true and it's pretty clear that Apple will actually bend over backwards for content providers if the company feels it's important enough. Case in point: HBO just joined iTunes today (finally) and while there's no truly old content on there (which I'd love to see, incidentally), the pricing on what's available is kind of telling:

The Wire $1.99 per episode
Flight of the Conchords $1.99 per episode
Rome $2.99 per episode
The Sopranos$2.99 per episode
Sex and the City $1.99 per episode
Deadwood $2.99 per episode

There's a curious mix of shows there. In each case, only a single season is offered. So with Rome, it's Season 1. But with The Sopranos, all you can get is Season 6, Part 2. Odd.

And for the record, Deadwood is one of the best TV shows, ever. Rent it on DVD.

Anyway, on to the Apple PR spin:

HBO and Apple® today announced that programming from HBO is now available for purchase and download on the iTunes Store. New HBO programs on iTunes include the Emmy Award-winning programs “The Sopranos,” “Sex and the City,” “Deadwood” and “Rome,” as well as the critically acclaimed hits “Flight of the Conchords” and “The Wire.”

While Apple does call out the price of the individual shows, it doesn't highlight their official policy change with regards to TV shows. But I guess HBO really is more than just TV. It certainly can cost more.

Discuss this Article 11

cesjr
on May 13, 2008
The most important thing for apple on pricing is simplicity. The existence of one more price tier - 2.99 for some TV shows (here for a pay-TV channel), doesn't complicate things too much. We don't know exactly what NBC has been asking for - but we can't assume they were willing to have just one additional price tier. I get the sense they were asking for complete flexibility, i.e, potentially to set 10 different prices for shows. They also want to do bundling, where you are forced to buy something you don't want, in order to buy something you do want. There doesn't seem to be anything like that here with HBO. So, as usual, Paul's analysis fails. He asserts that Apple has reversed itself, when he doesn't even know (1) what apple was willing to do with NBC (it could easily have included adding one more price tier) and (2) what NBC was demanding (when it's been reported they were demanding ridiculous stuff like bundling). Bzzzt, try again, Paul.
Auras
on May 13, 2008
@cesjr: actually it's apple that has failed when it made a statement it couldn't commit to
bkvalheim
on May 13, 2008
Any pricing strategy that uses real dollars amounts is far better than the BS that Microsoft offers with their MS Points on their video marketplace. MS is the best at spin.
Dipsh t Admin
on May 13, 2008
Paul, it's not TV, it's HBO! Using HBO's marketing speak, Apple can do whatever they want, since it's not TV. OK, stupid joke. Anyway, if they offered Not Necessarily the News, I may just install iTunes in a VM.
daProject
on May 13, 2008
Not sure about the others but all 6 seasons of Sex and the City are on iTunes.
tayme
on May 13, 2008
So, jp...now there is no reason for you to get your missed HBO episodes illegally... --tayme
subzerohitman721
on May 13, 2008
Why can't any of these content providers on iTunes ever get it right. I'm not sure if its Apple or the content providers, but HBO and Paramount has the same problem. If you going to provide episodes, get them out to the stores quickly. Whats the point of the announcements when what you want isn't available? There are plenty of season ones available on iTunes but what about the rest of the series? We're paying good money, a little expedition of service would be nice here. I'm not knocking HBO for the extra price tier. Their shows are much better than anything on NBC. Why pay more for crap? Seinfeld was not funny and I'd laugh at anyone paying a lot for that show. Friends? Yawn. The only thing NBC has going for it was Law and Order franchise. I'd pay HBO/iTunes $2.99 for quality content. Thats still pretty reasonable compared to whole season DVD prices.
lotsamystuff
on May 13, 2008
If I should find it within myself to desire viewing such a most f***ing excellent f***ing television show such as "Deadwood" I shall certainly and with all due diligence explore all available f***ing options that are presented to me by such wonderful c***s***ing outlets such as NetFlix, the iTunes Music Store and even such motherf***ing places as Amazon, because as the most f***ing excellent Paul Thurrott has advised you novices in these matters, Deadwood is indeed an exceedingly worthy f***ing show that all you c***ks***ing ba***ards should f***ing watch, pursuing such an activity as a remedy for your f***ing ignorance in these matters.
Lindy
on May 13, 2008
lotsamystuff I think they make drugs for what you got, or counseling or both. HBO cost extra to get to your TV. Its not free over the airwaves, so its not TV. An episode of LOST can be had for free with rabbit ears and a tv tuner of some sort. An episode of Deadwood cant be picked up the same way, you must pay your cable/dish or whatever to get it. I am pretty sure Apple would have liked to price it the same way. So it came down to pay more, or dont get it, all dictated by HBO.
tayme
on May 13, 2008
Evidently Lindy hasn't watched Deadwood...Good one, "lotsamystuff" --tayme
Dipsh t Admin
on May 14, 2008
Funny one, lotsa! Search also for the Departed (F'in Short Version).

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