Coming Down the Pipe: iTunes Rentals, Windows Media Center Internet TV

Thanks to the hard-working folks at Engadget we have advance notice on two digital video products waiting in the wings from Apple and Microsoft.

iTunes Rentals: Apple has coded in movie rentals to the iTunes Store, according to a screenshot uploaded by a Mac developer that includes options for complaining about rented movies. The company has already set up systems to respond to customers having problems with non-delivery, accidental purchase, content quality, duplicate purchase, wrong version, and bad metadata and their rentals.

Windows Media Center Internet TV: Sounds like Microsoft will be adding on-demand, ad-supported Internet TV to its Windows Media Center through a software update September 27. According to Engadget’s source at Microsoft, “the videos will reportedly be ‘better than SD quality, but not HD,’ although HD programs could certainly emerge in the future.” It also sounds like there will be some editorial judgment involved — with categories like sports, entertainment, and news — so it’s unclear if you’ll be able to access anything you want, or just approved programs. This is something TVTonic already offers as a free install.