News
Direct-to-iPad rentals don’t transfer to iTunes
By Jesse Hollington
Applications Editor, iLounge (Google+)
Published: Thursday, April 15, 2010
News Category: Apple, iPad, iTunes
Movies rented from the iTunes Store using the iPad cannot be transferred back to users’ iTunes libraries, iLounge has discovered, and must be viewed solely on the iPad. When Apple introduced movie rentals as a new iTunes Store feature, it noted that movies rented using iTunes on a computer or on a portable device could be transferred to and from each other during the duration of the 30-day rental period. Movies rented from a computer version of iTunes can still be transferred to the iPad or any other Apple device, and of course, items purchased rather than rented using the iPad transfer back to iTunes in the same manner as with the iPod, iPhone, and Apple TV.
Unlike the Apple TV, however, the iTunes Store does not provide any notification of this restriction when renting a movie on the iPad; the information is hidden unless the user chooses the “Learn About Rentals” option, or looks within the iTunes Store Terms of Service—it is similarly buried in a just-published Apple KnowledgeBase Article on Viewing and downloading HD content on iPad. Although similar to restrictions for the Apple TV, this differs from renting movies directly on iPhone or iPod touch devices, which can still be transferred back to iTunes during the rental period.
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1
Now that I have an iPad, I’ll be renting iTunes movies for the first time ever since I’m already down to 30GBs of free space on my 64GB model. Renting movies to watch on my MBP, iPod or iPhone was just not appealing to me. And I have no use for an Apple TV.
So the bottom line is if I can’t transfer a rented iTunes movie from my iPad to any of my other devices, well, that’s just fine by me.
Posted by Downing on April 15, 2010 at 8:49 AM (PDT)
2
Wait a minute! Was I under a rock or something? When did Apple start giving you 48 hours to finish watching a movie? I thought it was 24 hours.
Posted by Rand on April 15, 2010 at 3:21 PM (PDT)
3
It’s 48 hours in Canada and the UK, 24 in the U.S. That screenshot was taken from the Canadian iTunes Store. The “Learn More About Movie Rentals” page on the U.S. Store is identical except the references to 48 hours say 24 hours instead.
The exact reasons for the difference have never been clear, but it’s obviously related to whatever terms Apple has been able to negotiate with the movie industry and copyright holders in each of those countries.
Posted by Jesse Hollington in Toronto on April 15, 2010 at 6:45 PM (PDT)
4
What about movies purchased on the ipad? I can’t seem to transfer my ipad movies that I purchased to my library?
Posted by George on April 26, 2010 at 5:21 AM (PDT)
5
Movies purchased on the iPad should transfer back to iTunes in the same way as for any other purchased content and any other iPhone OS device. Make sure your computer is actually authorized for the iTunes Store account that was used to purchase the content by going to Authorize Computer on the Store menu in iTunes. Also, if you’re managing the content on your iPad manually rather than using automatic sync then you may need to use the File, Transfer Purchases option to initiate the transfer.
Posted by Jesse Hollington in Toronto on April 26, 2010 at 10:24 AM (PDT)
6
Here’s a mystery: I downloaded a rental movie from iTunes onto my computer, and in iTunes I transfer it to the iPad, and then sync—but NOTHING. The movie doesn’t seem to exist anywhere on the iPad.
So then I download a different movie from iTunes directly to the iPad. Takes 3 hours. And then? Can’t find it anywhere.
Nothing in the “movies” tab at all. Any ideas?
Posted by Liz on May 16, 2010 at 6:12 PM (PDT)
7
“Nothing in the “movies” tab at all. Any ideas?”...
It sounds like you may have the Movie Restrictions on. If you have turned on a Movie rating limit in General Preferences, any movie with a higher Rating will “disappear” from the movies section. It is still on the iPad but just not seen. You can raise you restriction level to “ALL” and the movies will appear again. Unfortunately some movies are ‘Unrated’ (like many concert films) and will only show up with a show all restriction for movies.
Hope that solves it
Posted by Daniel on June 6, 2010 at 12:55 AM (PDT)
8
Liz: go to the “videos” app and select rentals. Being used the the iPhone universe, this wasn’t obvious to me, either. “Videos” doesn’t exist as an app on the iPhone, but lives in the iPod app.
Posted by brad on June 11, 2010 at 5:33 AM (PDT)
9
Beware when renting movies using iTunes. I rented one and it played up until the last 10 minutes and would’t go any farther. Apple refused to do anything about it. Basically, they said once you agree to purchase it’s basically at your own risk because of licensing issues. I think it’s interesting that they don’t support Flash, as that would allow their competitors like Amazon to take some of the business. Ever since I had this issue I only order my books through Amazon Kindle.
Posted by Mindi on June 17, 2010 at 8:41 PM (PDT)
10
On a recent vacation I tried to download a movie directly to my iPad. Not only did it take forever to download, it wouldn’t complete the download - and kept giving the error, “Download error: Tap to retry.” Throughout the week, retrying never worked, no matter the WiFi connection
Based on previous comments in this discussion, I’m assuming I’ll still get charged for the rental, even though it doesn’t show up on my iPad, AppleTV, or iTunes ‘Movies’ list and won’t be able to watch it.
Posted by Clay on June 24, 2010 at 8:18 AM (PDT)
11
When I rent a movie with my apple tv the movie starts playing right away and the download continues in the background. Is it right that the ipad only starts playing movies once fully downloaded?
Posted by Johannes on June 25, 2010 at 1:55 PM (PDT)
12
How do I transfer music from my ipod to my ipad, without use of a pc?
Posted by Rolf on July 29, 2010 at 10:13 AM (PDT)
13
I just tried downloading my first movie on iPad and like the other comment, it Just stopped and said error. I will be furious if I am charged. How can you charge for a service that is never delivered? I bought this iPad to watch movies when traveling and apparently I made mistake.
Posted by Traveytls on August 18, 2010 at 3:12 AM (PDT)
14
Why my iPod touch earphones would’t work with iPad.
Posted by Igor on September 7, 2010 at 9:44 PM (PDT)
15
I can’t get anything to download to my iPad. It always says it can’t connect to iTunes OR connect to a wifi! It’s so annoying. I have to use the PC first and then transfer it. WACK!
And I’ll never rent a movie again. I rented one to take on vacation… Paid 4 bucks .... And didn’t get to watch it in 24 hours so it deleted itself! I was so mad!!!!!! Even blockbuster gave 48 hours and they sucked too. I’m sticking with netflix!
Posted by Brandina on September 15, 2010 at 10:21 PM (PDT)
16
Maybe I’m an idiot, but I can’t seem to move rentals from my iPhone 4 to iTunes either.
Posted by junkstar on September 21, 2010 at 10:25 AM (PDT)
17
No, the same situation exists with the iPhone 4 and iPod touch 4G. This seems to be the way Apple is going to be handling it from now on. Perhaps the price they had to pay for manufacturing HD-capable devices?
Posted by Jesse Hollington in Toronto on September 21, 2010 at 11:40 AM (PDT)
18
OK, so I went to upgrade my ipad to 1OS 4 and before it would upgrade me it told me to move my rental movies to iTunes! HAHA! So, frustrated in not being able to figure out how to do it, I searched for the answer and found this page and now see it is impossible! nice apple! Thanks for telling me to do the impossible!
Posted by arrgh on November 23, 2010 at 3:41 PM (PDT)
19
I just purchased my iPad, purchased a movie from iTunes on the iPad then synced my iPad with my computer iTunes. Now the movie is on my computer iTunes but not on the iPad and I can’t get it back on the iPad. Any ideas?
Posted by Mark Dodds on December 11, 2010 at 6:14 AM (PDT)
20
I have a new iphone 4 with 12gb free, trying to download a tv programme but keep getting same old ‘download error tap to retry’—
have been researching this for hours, been trying all the tips but still can’t get it to change. It is now over 48 hrs since I purchased it—is there any point in continuing? Should I try downloading something else?
Posted by Clarey on December 16, 2010 at 6:38 AM (PDT)
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