(27 December 2007 5:25 pm)

MUMBAI: Twentieth Century Fox and Apple Inc. are reportedly gearing up to announce a deal under which Fox movies will be available on a rental basis for online viewing through Apple's iTunes stores.

The report was published by the online edition of the Financial Times.

Viewers will be able to rent the latest Fox DVD releases by downloading a digital copy from Apple's iTunes platform for a limited duration.

Additionally, Apple will also sell Fox movies through the iTunes stores. Fox plans to release DVDs that use Apple's digital rights management system for enabling consumers to make legal copies of the disc that can be played on a computer or video iPod, according to the report.

Apple already sells new releases and catalog titles from Walt Disney Co where as Viacom Inc.'s Paramount Pictures, sells only older movie titles through iTunes.