There are some great 4K version deals this Memorial Day weekend in the movie section of the ITunes Store. I cannot make a purchase for some of these films because I already own the HD version. Why?! Films such as Fifth Element, Prometheus, Close Encounters of Third Kind, and The Matrix.
iPad
You shouldn't need to buy it, if you are using a compatible device it's available for free : Find and watch movies with 4K, HDR, or Dolby Vision - Apple Support
If you previously bought an HD movie from the iTunes Store, you might have access to the 4K version, HDR, or Dolby Vision enhancements on a compatible device. If your iTunes Store purchase doesn't have a high-quality version now, it might be added later.
To check the video quality, tap or click on a movie in your Library. Look at the top of the page for
,
, or
.
iPhone 8 and newer, iPad Pro (2017), and Apple TV 4K can play HDR10 and Dolby Vision content.
Apple TV 4K, connected to a 4K-compatible television, can play 4K content.4 4K video, especially with HDR10 or Dolby Vision, requires an HDMI cable compatible with these formats. Apple recommends HDMI cables that have the Compatible Dolby Vision mark as they have been tested with Apple TV 4K and a wide range of televisions. Learn more about playing 4K, HDR, and Dolby Vision content with your Apple TV.
HDR10, Dolby Vision, and 4K content playback requires compatible devices. Check the tech specs for your Apple product to see if your device can play 4K, HDR, or Dolby Vision videos.
4 If your 4K content doesn't play automatically, go to Settings > Apps > "iTunes movies & TV shows" and make sure Quick Start is turned on to play 4K, HDR, or Dolby Vision content.
If you see a message that your device might not be able to play 1080p (HD) or 4K videos
When you buy or rent a movie or TV show from the iTunes Store, the device that you're using might warn you that it can't play 1080p (HD) or 4K video content. Instead, your device automatically plays the highest-quality version of that video that it can. Your other Apple devices will play the higher-quality version if they're compatible.
Learn more about redownloading purchased content.
I know that if you purchased the title directly from iTunes it automatically upgrades you to 4K. My question is if you have an HD version that was not purchased directly from iTunes why will it not give you the option to buy the 4K version?
I’m willing to buy a 4K version of a film when I already have an HD version, but iTunes will not offer the option to do so. Why?
