Why did Apple remove the purchased movie "Greyhound" from my Apple Library?

[blackxacto]

I have watched this movie on my Hisense TV (through the Apple TV app) several times after buying "Greyhound". Today I tried to watch it again. The only way I can watch the movie is to subscribe to Apple TV. I do not want to subscribe. I only have a movie library of movies I buy from Apple. Why have they ripped out this movie, and force me to subscribe to Apple TV to watch it again? Oh, and it doesn't show in my list of purchases any longer. What kind of crap behavior is this from Apple? I can't prove I bought it if my proof of purchase was removed from my iTunes Purchases.

Do not rely upon Apple to keep your purchase proofs. Always print them out.

 

[blackxacto]

I'm in the process of downloading all movies I have purchased from Apple since my digital rights are trash. If Apple could return my money I paid, but no, they have to erase any proof of purchase as well. I'm getting movpkg files. Does anyone know where to enable m4v downloads?

 

[priitv8]

The fundamental thing here - we can not purchase movies. Just the right to watch them.

 

[ATmahe]

And this right can be revoked.

 

[dorsal]

The same can happen on other streaming services. So check/backup those too...

 

[-Gonzo-]

But Greyhound has never been available for purchase, It’s only ever been an atv+ movie.
I can only think you’ve either watched it during a free trial or payed for a months subscription and not realised, but one things for sure you never had the opportunity to purchase this particular movie.

This is providing of course you are meaning the 2020 Tom Hanks movie and not some other movie with the same title?

 

[HDFan]

I'm in the process of downloading all movies

Be aware that downloaded movies are generally lower quality than the streamed versions.

 

[HobeSoundDarryl]

Once again, if you buy discs and learn to rip them, your digital copy will be both highest quality (because you- NOT the streamer- get to choose quality settings) and be an owned copy you physically possess (with a very tangible backup in the disc itself).

Else, trusting for-profit strangers in "the cloud" is only asking for such events. As #6 says, that particular movie is an AppleTV+ exclusive that is only available with an AppleTV+ subscription (or until Apple opts to remove it from AppleTV+ for some reason, which they could do at any time) but all movies "purchased*" from any streaming store that is then left in the hands of for-profit strangers in the cloud is in jeopardy of being lost* at any time... because he who controls an asset has final say in that asset.

If you "rent" access to anything and the owner decides to repurpose that asset, they can do that because they own/control it. All this digital "in the cloud" stuff puts distance between owning* and possessing it (like a true owner). By not possessing it, someone else has more control of it. By redefining "buy" to mean "lifetime lease*" instead of actually "own", there is more wiggle room for such events.

Buy the disc, rip the media, own & fully possess the video. Anything else introduces middlemen strangers (with very different motives) between you and true ownership.

 

[JonaM]

I have watched this movie on my Hisense TV (through the Apple TV app) several times after buying "Greyhound". Today I tried to watch it again. The only way I can watch the movie is to subscribe to Apple TV. I do not want to subscribe. I only have a movie library of movies I buy from Apple. Why have they ripped out this movie, and force me to subscribe to Apple TV to watch it again? Oh, and it doesn't show in my list of purchases any longer. What kind of crap behavior is this from Apple? I can't prove I bought it if my proof of purchase was removed from my iTunes Purchases.

Do not rely upon Apple to keep your purchase proofs. Always print them out.

It doesn't appear in your list of purchases because you never purchased it - it's only ever been on ATV+.
You must have either paid for a month of ATV+ to watch it or used a free trial

 

[Digital Dude]

It’s one of the very few movies on Apple TV+ that I actually enjoyed. I’ve since canceled my subscription, so I must have watched it during a trial period. That said, now that I know more about the actors, I don’t feel like I’ll miss the film(s). 🫤

 

[subjonas]

Once again, if you buy discs and learn to rip them, your digital copy will be both highest quality (because you- NOT the streamer- get to choose quality settings) and be an owned copy you physically possess (with a very tangible backup in the disc itself).

Else, trusting for-profit strangers in "the cloud" is only asking for such events. As #6 says, that particular movie is an AppleTV+ exclusive that is only available with an AppleTV+ subscription (or until Apple opts to remove it from AppleTV+ for some reason, which they could do at any time) but all movies "purchased*" from any streaming store that is then left in the hands of for-profit strangers in the cloud is in jeopardy of being lost* at any time... because he who controls an asset has final say in that asset.

If you "rent" access to anything and the owner decides to repurpose that asset, they can do that because they own/control it. All this digital "in the cloud" stuff puts distance between owning* and possessing it (like a true owner). By not possessing it, someone else has more control of it. By redefining "buy" to mean "lifetime lease*" instead of actually "own", there is more wiggle room for such events.

Buy the disc, rip the media, own & fully possess the video. Anything else introduces middlemen strangers (with very different motives) between you and true ownership.

Part of the blame is on digital sellers for continuing to use the language "buy" or "purchase" which is not merely misleading but plainly wrong. The language should be "license" to accurately indicate that there is no transfer of ownership (but preferably it should make even clearer what the stipulations of that license are in succinct plain language). That's why I'm in full support of this new law:

Gov. Newsom signs law forcing digital stores to admit you're buying media licenses only

A new California law will require online stores to disclose you are purchasing licenses for digital games, movies, music, and ebooks, not owning them.

abc7.com

 

[blackxacto]

Part of the blame is on digital sellers for continuing to use the language "buy" or "purchase" which is not merely misleading but plainly wrong. The language should be "license" to accurately indicate that there is no transfer of ownership (but preferably it should make even clearer what the stipulations of that license are in succinct plain language). That's why I'm in full support of this new law:

Gov. Newsom signs law forcing digital stores to admit you're buying media licenses only

A new California law will require online stores to disclose you are purchasing licenses for digital games, movies, music, and ebooks, not owning them.

abc7.com

Its a great big lie Apple and others continue to perpetuate. They can take away what i purchase anytime they want. It stinks. Its a disgusting practice. Only DVDs and BluRay hereon.

 

[Starfia]

But Greyhound has never been available for purchase, It’s only ever been an atv+ movie.

blackxacto – That was my impression as well; I thought it was an Apple TV+ exclusive, not an iTunes Store product. Is that not right?

 

[blackxacto]

I thought i had purchased it because i liked it so well. I watched many times. But i cant find any proof, or purchase record. Maybe i didn’t. Maybe im senile.

 

[StumpyBloke]

I thought i had purchased it because i liked it so well. I watched many times. But i cant find any proof, or purchase record. Maybe i didn’t. Maybe im senile.

You didn’t purchase it, you can’t purchase it.

So even though you are mistaken with this particular example, you do highlight the fact that to believe we *own* our purchased digital content is nothing short of utterly naive.

All major retailers, Sony etc have removed content from people’s libraries and not offered a refund: their arrogance is astounding. This is tantamount to theft and makes me lean towards fully supporting piracy because if I don’t own the content I purchase then I can download it from where I want. Unfortunately these big companies are untouchable and laws need to be made and put in place that if content is removed that we have purchased, then we get a full refund. However that will never happen in my opinion.

 

[HobeSoundDarryl]

If it helps any, I do see it is available at lowly DVD quality on Amazon and for less as a USED DVD via options like Ebay. If OP doesn't care about picture quality above DVD quality, it could be purchased there, ripped and then he would own a copy regardless of what Apple does with it in the streaming service... including if OP chooses to no longer subscribe.

I'm no fan of DVD quality but upscaling will look fair to even good to select eyes... though far from 4K or even HD quality. Still, it's a way to own a favorite instead of only renting it. I would guess that sooner or later it will be offered as a blu ray disc too.

 

[blackxacto]

If it helps any, I do see it is available at lowly DVD quality on Amazon and for less as a USED DVD via options like Ebay. If OP doesn't care about picture quality above DVD quality, it could be purchased there, ripped and then he would own a copy regardless of what Apple does with it in the streaming service... including if OP chooses to no longer subscribe.

I'm no fan of DVD quality but upscaling will look fair to even good to select eyes... though far from 4K or even HD quality. Still, it's a way to own a favorite instead of only renting it. I would guess that sooner or later it will be offered as a blu ray disc too.

I'll wait for Blu Ray. Hanks will grab every last penny from us, Blu Ray will show eventually.

 

[niteflyr]

Brand New Boxed Blu-ray HD Movie 1 Disc All Region Greyhound (2020) | eBay

Number of Discs:1. Audio: English.

www.ebay.com

 

[TechWhisperer]

That’s because Apple is more of a cat person.