Editor's Note: After this was originally posted, Apple mailed invitations to media outlets for Sept. 1, rather than Sept. 7.
Apple is set to make several announcements at a media event on Sept. 7, but will more rumors of an iPhone for Verizon overshadow what’s likely to be the real news? We hope not.
Bloomberg is reporting that Apple will announce a plan that lets you rent TV shows on iTunes for 99 cents, likely an effort to fight off competition from services like Hulu, Netflix, Amazon and others. Apple is reportedly finishing negotiations with News Corp. that would allow customers to rent Fox programs for two days. And shows from NBC Universal, CBS and Disney (ABC) aren’t far off.
You won’t have to wait long for episodes — much like many on-demand services, the shows will be available within 24 hours of their original airing, and better yet, commercial-free, according to Bloomberg.
The Silicon Valley giant is also expected to intro a new and improved iPod Touch at the Sept. 7 event. This falls in line with the company’s usual iPod upgrades in September. The new Touch features better screen resolution.
And if that isn’t enough, look for an Apple TV upgrade that is designed to let viewers stream iTunes content. The old version of the Apple TV set-top box will be reduced to just $99, according to the report.
Of course, the Verizon iPhone rumormongers will be out in force once more as the date approaches. But a January release remains the most likely scenario. Of course, Apple isn’t commenting on any of this.
