Has anyone else been purchasing less movies since the MA/Itunes Debacle?

[IPhoneUser]

I used to buy a lot more movies from Vudu but ever since Apple announced free UHD upgrades, I've been patientily waiting for the other services to catch up. It's been over a year and Itunes still sell UHD titles for dirt cheap. I can't justify spending UHD prices on Vudu and don't want to switch to Apple because I've never been a part of their eco system and don't want to reward them for exclusionary business practices that include prohibiting users from upgrading MA titles in their Itunes library . I'll still occasionally buy titles that are not available in any physical format, but I'm pretty much done with purchasing flagship titles until I see how the market sorts itself out. Has Vudu, or anyone else for that matter, been doing anything to challenge Apple?

[quackman]

Vudu is still my #1 movie site, but I do find myself purchasing more and more from Apple, mostly because of the UHD prices and the $5 HD deals. There has also been some movies and TV shows I want that Apple has but Vudu does not. Since UV is sadly on it's way out, I now just want MA to succeed and eventually get EVERY studio to join.

[Wasteland]

I'll always be loyal to Vudu first, but lately I have been making purchases on iTunes and Amazon. Mainly for UHD rights in MA because Vudu doesn't offer the title in UHD, and the others do. It might not be cheap, but there's nothing to say that when Vudu does get those UHD rights, the titles will be cheaper, because they probably won't be, so the other services got that money. I'm just waiting for UHD rights for so many to be added on Vudu so my purchases port over. iTunes I do use mainly to buy TV shows that Vudu doesn't sale.

I do feel as though Vudu would gain more back if offering free UHD upgrades, maybe for select titles, or at least offer some sort of upgrade discount. I know many will say it's the studios doing it, but even if it was, Vudu is one of the top streamers, they could easily work something out, and if it isn't the studios and iTunes is just giving away UHD from HD to bring in more customers, then Vudu needs to step their game up a little.

[Taxitodd]

The only place other than Vudu that I'll do business with is Amazon, and that mainly comes down to just price and selection availability.

[Chedwiggen]

Vudu's my preferred retailer but with UV dying and no signs of them working on a new sharing system I've had to be creative with my MA retailer accounts as a new way of sharing my movies with my family members which means sadly if I want a digital MA only movie to share I have to buy it in iTunes or Amazon. On top of that Amazon has had some crazy sales lately like .99 movies and upcoming tv seasons for 2-3.99. I'll still do some business with Vudu but with everything that's going on with digital I'm starting to become more comfortable shopping at other retailers and less at Vudu, just depends on who has the best sales and whether they're UV or MA now.

[IPhoneUser]

I haven't bought anything from Apple because I would only be able to stream them on my phone. Apple really screwed over other digital customers. I wanted to get Predator UHD from Apple yet it wouldn't even allow me to purchase because I own the title in HD through MA. There's been at least a dozen $5 UHD titles that I passed on because of this. It doesn't make any sense. I also redeemed the Jurassic Park trilogy nearly a year ago through Itunes on my phone, and while it shows I own UHD rights on Apple, it's still HDX on Vudu with the option to purchase UHD versions for $7.99. No thanks.

[Cranston37]

I don't want to switch to Apple because I've never been a part of their eco system

First, your name is literally IPhoneUser. Second, a few posts later you said you redeemed the Jurassic Park trilogy nearly a year ago through Itunes on your phone.

Soooo, what up with that?

I haven't bought anything from Apple because I would only be able to stream them on my phone.

Once you buy from Apple it will transfer to Vudu, Amazon, and Google and you can watch it on any device you want...

I wanted to get Predator UHD from Apple yet it wouldn't even allow me to purchase because I own the title in HD through MA. There's been at least a dozen $5 UHD titles that I passed on because of this.

All you needed to do was gift yourself a copy of the UHD version (click the icon that is the box with an arrow coming out the top). Its a workaround thats been there from the beginning...

[IPhoneUser]

First, your name is literally IPhoneUser. Second, a few posts later you said ?I redeemed the Jurassic Park trilogy nearly a year ago through Itunes on my phone.?

Soooo, what up with that?



Why is that? Once you buy from Apple it will transfer to Vudu and you can watch it on any device you want...



All you needed to do was gift yourself a copy of the UHD version (click the icon with the box with an arrow coming out the top). Its a workaround thats been there from the beginning...

I do have an Iphone but I don't use it for streaming anything other than music. When it comes to movies, I'd prefer to watch it on my television. I don't own any other Apple product. In fact, the current version of Itunes is incompatible with my PC. I have redeemed digital copies on Itunes on my phone since the announcement if the title is MA, but that wasn't the case before where I would usually redeem my copy through Vudu. I've had Itunes actually restrict me from buying titles due to lack of space on my phone and HDCP compliance issues.

Gifting yourself a UHD copy is a really convoluted process and not at all user friendly, especially since it doesn't guarantee UHD rights from any other retailer whether they carry the title or not.There perhaps is a way to do it, but the process of having to delete titles from your MA or Vudu library is even more of a headache and requires you having to call customer care. Doing this for every UHD title that doesn't port over simply isn't worth the trouble, especially if you're already anticipating the other services to offer a similar upgrade feature. Given the amount of time that has passed, it doesn't seem like UHD is a priority for Vudu or any other digital retailer quite frankly.

[Cranston37]

Gifting yourself a UHD copy is a really convoluted process and not at all user friendly, especially since it doesn't guarantee UHD rights from any other retailer whether they carry it or not.

Fair enough on it not being user friendly, but you passed on over a dozen $5 UHD titles because hitting the gift button was too convoluted? Wouldn?t it have been a heck of a lot easier to do that rather than pass and take up arms on an internet message board?

[IMBigWillie]

Fair enough on it not being user friendly, but you passed on over a dozen $5 UHD titles because hitting the gift button was too convoluted? Wouldn?t it have been a heck of a lot easier to do that rather than pass and take up arms on an internet message board?

Everything I've read indicates that gifted and bundles do NOT port to MA in UHD.

[IPhoneUser]

Fair enough on it not being user friendly, but you passed on over a dozen $5 UHD titles because hitting the gift button was too convoluted? Wouldn?t it have been a heck of a lot easier to do that rather than pass and take up arms on an internet message board?

Having the title in UHD on Itunes is of limited use to me. Why should I be denied UHD upgrades just because I already have the title in my Vudu collection, which I spent years building? And the reason I'm talking about this on a message board is so I can promote discussion on a topic that hasn't been mentioned or only briefly touched upon on this forum. Vudu customers should feel free to leave feedback, especially if it influences their purchasing decisions.

[Alan Gordon]

All you needed to do was gift yourself a copy of the UHD version (click the icon that is the box with an arrow coming out the top). Its a workaround thats been there from the beginning...

While I find several of IPhoneUser's complaints strange, doing the above does not add UHD copies to one's MA account, so there are valid reasons why one might not want to do this. One can get VUDU to delete a title, which then frees one up to purchase a title from iTunes, but one might not want to do that.

[Alan Gordon]

I also redeemed the Jurassic Park trilogy nearly a year ago through Itunes on my phone, and while it shows I own UHD rights on Apple, it's still HDX on Vudu with the option to purchase UHD versions for $7.99. No thanks.

Titles purchased or redeemed in iTunes while the title is in HD will only register as an HD purchase in MA, so will only port to VUDU as such. To get 4K rights in MA (and therefore VUDU), the title must be purchased or redeemed as such from iTunes while the title is available in 4K. Post purchase/redemption 4K upgrades are only for iTunes users.

I've had Itunes actually restrict me from buying titles due to lack of space on my phone and HDCP compliance issues.

I've never experienced this on an iPhone 5, iPhone 6, or iPhone 7 Plus.

[awp69]

I still like Vudu but iTunes absolutely has become my #1 source because of 4K. I got an Apple TV 4K from the DirectTV Now deal that was running and my UHD count has exploded because of iTunes. I?m sorry but free 4K upgrades, dirt cheap sales of UHD that doesn?t have codes from physical and nearly 2X as many 4K titles?

Anyone with a vested interest in 4K needs to acknowledge that iTunes has a huge advantage in content and pricing.

And I still like Vudu. But they really need to put more into 4K. Getting more content and better pricing. It really annoys me when they have all these $4.99 sales on Vudu but it?s almost always just HDX. Give me the same price for 4K like iTunes!

[IPhoneUser]

While I find several of IPhoneUser's complaints strange, doing the above does not add UHD copies to one's MA account, so there are valid reasons why one might not want to do this. One can get VUDU to delete a title, which then frees one up to purchase a title from iTunes, but one might not want to do that.

Is it strange that I'm complaining about it even though I have a valid reason? I find it strange most people would jump through so many hoops to obtain a previously purchased movie in UHD rather than address their concern on a public forum.