unitedairlinesUnited Airlines will be introducing a new in-flight movie service for both iPhone and iPad this April, allowing flyers to watch over 150 movies and 200 TV shows on their device, according to PatentlyApple.

According to United, "Most planes will be equipped with the new system very soon, and we'll have it installed on most domestic aircraft by the end of 2014. We'll begin on Airbus A319, Airbus A320, Boeing 747-400 and select 777-200 aircraft, followed by additional fleets. In the end, all United-operated flights will have some form of entertainment.

The free-of-charge service will only require flyers to download the latest version of the United Airlines app, although United will also let people download the app without the purchase of its Wi-Fi plan.

Users will have full control of the service's content, having the ability to stop, pause, rewind, and switch between movies and TV shows at any time. In addition, flyers will be able to access the service on their laptops, although a browser plug-in will be required. Once on their flight, flyers need to only open the app to be presented with their entertainment options.

United Airlines is a universal app that can be downloaded from the App Store for free. [Direct Link]

Top Rated Comments

MentalFloss Avatar
141 months ago
Let the consumer worry about the electronics? Huh? There's a huge bit of elitism included here. Soon, I will be watching the inflight entertainment on my iPad, while the guy next to me who can't afford one will be bored.

Finally, airlines had started to integrate 10 inch screens into seats also in economy class, and now we take a step back? And people like it, because for some reason, the airline should only provide the content, and the passenger should worry about the device?

How about bringing your own food onto the flight? Your own cup and plate? Your own seat cushion perhaps? What do you say? It's too heavy? Well, guess what, not everybody likes carrying an iPad either. And yes, of course, cheap airlines already charge you for every extra service, but I didn't realize United was a cheap airline.

Airlines have found another way how not to provide a service, and people are actually cheering. Please watch the South Park episode "The Entity". You guys would be prime customers for the device invented by Mr. Garrison.
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)
mcarling Avatar
141 months ago
Just flew today on United and the complimentary wifi is a joke. Yes, you get a selection of movies, but they're all old. Not a single new movie to be found.

Good grief! What do people expect for free? I think it would be great if older films are free and newer films cost a few dollars to watch.
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)
JerryCards Avatar
141 months ago
wow~~~, OK, CarPlay first, and we have PlanePlay now. :D
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)
kds1 Avatar
141 months ago
I still prefer seat back video. Love Virgin America's RED entertainment system. Also, on any flight, my favorite channel is the moving map......
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)
bniu Avatar
141 months ago
This is the way to do it. Provide the content and let the consumer worry about accessing it. Keeps costs down and makes the product more adaptable to whatever new technologies come out.

Just provide power and content and get out of the consumer's way :D
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)
jroman Avatar
141 months ago
Such a smart idea. I wish all airlines would do this. Let the consumer worry about providing the electronics, just provide the content.
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)

Popular Stories

New Things Your iPhone Can Do in iOS 18

20 New Things Your iPhone Can Do in iOS 18.2

Monday December 16, 2024 8:55 am PST by
Apple released iOS 18.2 in the second week of December, bringing the second round of Apple Intelligence features to iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 16 models. This update brings several major advancements to Apple's AI integration, including completely new image generation tools and a range of Visual Intelligence-based enhancements. Apple has added a handful of new non-AI related feature controls as...
apple tv 4k yellow bg feature

New Apple TV Rumored to Launch Next Year With These Features

Tuesday December 17, 2024 9:02 am PST by
The current Apple TV 4K was released more than two years ago, so the streaming device is becoming due for a hardware upgrade soon. Fortunately, it was recently rumored that a new Apple TV will launch at some point next year. Below, we recap rumors about the next-generation Apple TV. Bloomberg's Mark Gurman last week reported that Apple has been working on its own combined Wi-Fi and...
iphone 16 apple intelligence

Apple Drops Plans for iPhone Hardware Subscription Service

Wednesday December 18, 2024 11:39 am PST by
Apple is no longer planning to launch a hardware subscription service that would let customers "subscribe" to get a new iPhone each year, reports Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. Gurman first shared rumors about Apple's work on a hardware subscription service back in 2022, and at the time, he said that Apple wanted to develop a simple system that would allow customers to pay a monthly fee to gain...
iPhone 17 Pro Dual Tone Feature 1

iPhone 17 Pro Rumored to Stick With 'Triangular' Camera Design

Wednesday December 18, 2024 2:36 am PST by
Contrary to recent reports, the iPhone 17 Pro will not feature a horizontal camera layout, according to the leaker known as "Instant Digital." In a new post on Weibo, the leaker said that a source has confirmed that while the appearance of the back of the iPhone 17 Pro has indeed changed, the layout of the three cameras is "still triangular," rather than the "horizontal bar spread on the...
elevation lab airtag battery

Your AirTag's Battery Will Last for Up to 10 Years With Elevation Lab's New TimeCapsule Enclosure

Wednesday December 18, 2024 10:05 am PST by
Elevation Lab today announced the launch of TimeCapsule, an innovative and simple solution for increasing the battery life of Apple's AirTag. Priced at $20, TimeCapsule is an AirTag enclosure that houses two AA batteries that offer 14x more battery capacity than the CR2032 battery that the AirTag runs on. It works by attaching the AirTag's upper housing to the built-in custom contact in the...
Apple TV 4K hero 221018 feature

Here is Everything New for the Apple TV in the tvOS 18.3 Update So Far

Tuesday December 17, 2024 6:25 am PST by
Apple on Monday seeded the first tvOS 18.3 beta to developers for testing. The update will likely be released in January. So far, there are only minor changes for the Apple TV, with one new feature and a few code changes discovered. Below, we outline what is new in tvOS 18.3 so far. Robot Vacuum Support in Home App First, tvOS 18.3 will add robot vacuum support to the Home app on the...
blackmagic vision pro

Blackmagic Debuts $30K 3D Camera for Capturing Video for Vision Pro

Monday December 16, 2024 4:17 pm PST by
Blackmagic today announced that its URSA Cine Immersive camera is now available for pre-order, with deliveries set to start late in the first quarter of 2025. Blackmagic says that this is the world's first commercial camera system designed to capture 3D content for the Vision Pro. The URSA Cine Immersive camera was first introduced in June, but it has not been available for purchase until...
iPhone 17 Slim Feature

'iPhone 17 Air' With 'Major' Design Changes and 19-Inch MacBook Detailed in New Report

Sunday December 15, 2024 9:47 am PST by
Apple is planning a series of "major design" and "format changes" for iPhones over the next few years, according to The Wall Street Journal's Aaron Tilley and Yang Jie. The paywalled report published today corroborated the widely-rumored "iPhone 17 Air" with an "ultrathin" design that is thinner than current iPhone models. The report did not mention a specific measurement, but previous...