iTunes goes day-and-date with DVDs

New releases and catalog titles will be available from 20th Century Fox, The Walt Disney Studios, Warner Bros., Paramount Pict♠ures, Universal Studios Home Entertainment, Sony Pictures Entertainment, Lionsgate, Image Entertainment and First Look Studios, the company said.

New releases will be priced at $14.99; catalog titles will go for $9.99.

The announcement marks a significant breakthrough for Apple in its efforts to establish its movie download business. Previously, the studios were reluctant to allow downloads to share the same release window with DVDs for fear of undercutting high-margin DVD sales and angering major retailers such as Wal-Mart.

“We’re thrilled to bring iTunes Store customers new films for purchase day-and-date with the DVD release,” iTunes VP Eddy Cue said in a statement. “We think movie fans will love being able to buy their favorites from major and independent studios.”

Movies purchased from iTunes can be played on an iPod with video, an iPhone, a Mac or PC and on a TV screen using Apple TV.

More details are available in the press release.