Apple briefing staff on iPhone movie and TV downloads

Mounting evidence appears to confirm rumors that Apple's upcoming iPhone 3.0 operating system release will include support for direct iTunes movie and TV downloads. A week after a Salon blogger posted screenshots purportedly promoting the new iPhone video download services, AppleInsider reports that AppleCare customer support agents are now receiving training materials including information documenting how the iPhone software upgrade will enable users to directly download movie and TV content to their smartphone. "Apple never puts out product training this far ahead of a product launch," a source familiar with the computing giant's training efforts said, indicating the AppleCare materials arrived last Tuesday, roughly six weeks before the new iPhone's anticipated mid-July retail release.

The iPhone already supports direct downloads of free video podcasts within the mobile iTunes app. What is not known is whether Apple will enable video downloads over 3G networks or restrict the service to WiFi: In May, placeshifting technology developer Sling Media finally issued the long-awaited iPhone edition of its SlingPlayer Mobile video application, but the release version of the app does not include 3G support--although AT&T took the fall for the controversy that followed, contending 3G streaming would consume too much network capacity, Sling later noted the service, which enables users to stream live and recorded television from their home entertainment system to their mobile device, is WiFi-only at Apple's request.

For more on the iPhone movie and TV rumors:
- read this AppleInsider article