Report: Apple eyeing movies

Market research firm surveys potential interest in an "iTunes movie service," probing about both a monthly subscription for unlimited tethered downloads or individual downloads.

The ever-expanding iTunes universe could be headed for a full-blown movie download service, if reports of a market research survey being circulated on Apple's behalf are true.

AppleInsider reported today that Coyote Insight, a Fullerton, California-based market research firm, is distributing a survey that asked participants about their interest in a potential "iTunes movie service" that would provide on-demand access to movies that could be downloaded to a computer or iPod.

"This iTunes service would provide access to 1,000 movies on demand which can be downloaded to your computer and, in turn, to your video iPod if you have one, or even your television if it is connected to your computer," read a description early in the survey, according to AppleInsider.

The survey probed participants about both a subscription service that would charge users $9.99 per month for unlimited access to tethered downloads that would likely have usage restrictions, as well as individual movie downloads.

"Instead of subscribing for $9.99 a month to download the offered movies, another option is to buy the movies individually," the survey reads. "You would be able to select any movie available on this service, download it to your PC where you can keep it as long as you like. You would be able to view it on your computer as well as play it on your video-capable iPod."

Either strategy would be a likely extension of Apple's expansion of the iTunes content catalog. Apple said last month that 15 million videos have been downloaded through iTunes since last October.