Download movies the same day you can purchase the DVD at the store

For those of you who are iTunes users, I saw an interesting story last week on the blogs about a deal Apple has struck with most of the major movie studios to release their movies on iTunes the same day they are available as DVDs at retailers. Broadband Reports wrote:

Apple this morning dropped the news that customers will now be able to purchase films from iTunes the same day they hit DVD shelves, eliminating the typical 30-45 day delay between DVD launch and digital availability. It appears that a lot of major studios are on board as well, including 20th Century Fox, The Walt Disney Studios, Warner Brothers, Paramount Pictures, Universal, Sony, Lionsgate, Image Entertainment and First Look Studios.

Apple's iTunes online downloads have supplanted CD sales, with Apple recently overtaking Wal-Mart as he largest retailer of music in the U.S.

Now, Apple is making the move to do the same thing to DVDs.

With peripherals like the Apple TV, that allows users to view their iTunes movie downloads on their television, early adopters can move their entire home theatre experience online.

Now, even though I'm a Mac fan, this isn't an advertisement for Apple. It's another example of the way that access to broadband Internet has changed our everyday lives. Even with the recent end of the format war between HD-DVD and Blu-ray, the next format battle is already on the horizon and it will be between iTunes, DVD and Blu-ray.