iTunes Extras on Apple TV and iOS
Apple today released iTunes version 11.3 and with it is making its iTunes Extras feature available for HD movies on Macs. Apple also announced today that the feature is now available for Apple TV with update 6.2 and will arrive on iOS 8 this fall.
While we’ll have to wait for iTunes Extras to arrive on iOS with the release of iOS 8 this fall, the Apple TV OS 6.2 update rolled out late last month to users alongside iOS 7.1.2.
This is some clever marketing, because the other part of what they’re announcing is that “iTunes Extras” as it previously existed is being discontinued.
Old feature: Downloadable bundle of videos that you store and archive however you like. Offline viewing supported. If you’re willing to unbundle the videos, you can organize them however you like and sync them to your devices. Direct playback of the bundle on iOS devices not supported.
New feature: Essentially a rich Web page that pops up when you play the movie. Similar content. No option to download anything. No way to get at the unbundled videos. No offline viewing. Apple and the studios have total control of the content -- if they take something down, it’s gone. Direct playback of the bundle on iOS devices is supported but is streaming-only.
If you bought original iTunes Extras before July 10, 2014, you can download them again from the purchased page on the iTunes Store. iTunes Extras aren’t available in certain countries.
