Things are starting to get a little more interesting - Apple’s managed to convince pretty much all the major studios to try offering their movies for sale through iTunes on the same day as the in-store DVD release. The $15 price is still a little high, but the convenience and lack of having to find space to file yet another DVD case away makes up for a little of the hassle, and I suppose the reality is that most new releases run at about the same level, albeit with bonus features. Might almost be time to start looking into an Apple TV…

Apple, which hopes to do for show business what it has done for digital music, is now selling new movie releases from major studios and independent film companies on the same day as their DVD releases, the company announced Thursday.

New releases available for purchase this week through Apple’s online iTunes store include “American Gangster” and “The Diving Bell and the Butterfly.” Other catalog titles offered include “Juno,” “Cloverfield,” “I Am Legend” and “There Will Be Blood.”

“What this shows is that digital media is gaining momentum on traditional media,” observed Phil Leigh, president of research firm Inside Digital Media. “Ultimately, our televisions will be hooked to the Internet. We are going to pull up the iTunes page and get what we want on demand. Some of it will be free, some of it we will pay for.”

New releases will sell for $14.99, while most catalog offerings are priced at $9.99. The movies can be viewed on video iPods, iPhones and computers, as well as a widescreen TV connected to an Apple TV. People who purchase a movie through iTunes can play it as many times as they like, just like a DVD.

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