iTunes lets you view film rentals across devices

The new ‘rent once, watch anywhere’ feature is also a sign that iOS 10.3 and Apple TV 10.2 are on their way,

While Apple’s new products (see page 4) grabbed all the attention, Apple also made an update to iTunes that movie renters will enjoy. iTunes 12.6 is now available, and it has a new feature that the company dubs as ‘rent once, watch anywhere’. If you rent a movie on your iPad, iPhone, or Apple TV, you can now watch the movie on all those devices.

Prior to the update, iTunes movie rentals on the iPhone, iPad and Apple TV were restricted to the device the rental

was made on. Also, iTunes movie rentals could be made on a Mac and then transferred to an iPhone or iPad by performing a sync. You could also play a rented movie to Apple TV by using AirPlay.

Before you install the iTunes update and start renting movies, there is a catch. In order to take advantage of this feature, your iPhone, iPad and Apple TV must have operating systems that aren’t out yet. The iPhone and iPad require iOS 10.3, and your Apple TV must have tvOS 10.2. The iTunes 12.6 release is a sign that OS updates are on the way.

To get the iTunes update, launch the App Store app and click on the Updates tab at the top. You should see the iTunes 12.6 update after the app makes a check with Apple’s servers.

In previous quarterly earnings calls, Apple talked about the importance of its services, which includes the iTunes Store and video streaming. With increased competition from Netflix, Amazon, Hulu, and many others, Apple need to find ways to offer value to its customers. Making it easier to watch movies rentals across devices is one way to do that.