This has been a growing issue since Tuesday when Apple forums were filled with complaints regarding the fact that the new iPod models don't allow movie rentals via iTunes. Some recent iPod acquirers have gone as far as demanding upgrades or fixes since it's impossible to accept that a new iPod won't support a service that runs well on older generation models.

Apple's only response to the matter is a mere (almost useless) confirmation that movie rentals work with the following particular devices: iPhone, iPod touch, iPod classic and third-generation iPod nano. What comes after those, including fifth-generation iPods that were sold before September 2007 (when the sixth-generation iPod classic was launched), have been found to be incompatible with rented videos.

Raymond Blanchard, a disgruntled iPod owner, said: "This is false advertising. I demand an upgrade or fix." According to wired.com, others were even more upset over Apple's decision.

"Why on earth would they not make this service available to fifth-generation iPods?" one forum poster notes. "Mine is less than six months old! If all of the other services are available for the fifth-generation video iPods, why not rentals? I have a tough time believing it would not be technically feasible."

Since Apple has yet to come forward with a solid reason of why 5-G iPods don't support iTunes movie rentals, analysts such as Forrester's James McQuivey took a bite at the matter trying to shed some light. McQuivey reckons Apple's strategy here could have something to do with encouraging folks to get the latest iPods.

Further proof of this is that the TV-out port of the most recent iPod classic and iPod nano no longer works with older video cables and docks, as well as third-party ones. The Unofficial Apple Weblog notes that "it would just be too much of a risk for Apple (and the movie studios) to allow 5-G customers (to) connect their iPods to a TV via an open TV-out cable," since that would make it fairly easy to capture standard definition content using the analog hole.