04-26-2011, 03:46 PM
After reportedly finalizing deals with several major movie studios, Google is set to launch on YouTube a Video on Demand movie rental service that will challenge Apple's iTunes movie store for dominance of the VOD market.
YouTube began offering movie rentals last year, but had yet to rent mainstream movies, instead offering movies mostly from independent studios. Google plans to build out the service with the imminent launch of a movies on demand service from the major Hollywood studios, The Wrap reported on Monday.
According to the report, Google has successfully negotiated deals with major studios including Sony Pictures Entertainment, Warn Brothers and Universal, though "knowledgeable executives" indicated that Paramount, Fox and possibly Walt Disney have declined to participate at this time.
Google has quietly begun adding mainstream movies to YouTube, with rentals ranging in price from $1.99 to $3.99. "We've steadily been adding more and more titles since launching movies for rent on YouTube over a year ago, and now have thousands of titles available," a YouTube spokesperson, while declining to comment on the rumored major studio launch.
YouTube began offering movie rentals last year, but had yet to rent mainstream movies, instead offering movies mostly from independent studios. Google plans to build out the service with the imminent launch of a movies on demand service from the major Hollywood studios, The Wrap reported on Monday.
According to the report, Google has successfully negotiated deals with major studios including Sony Pictures Entertainment, Warn Brothers and Universal, though "knowledgeable executives" indicated that Paramount, Fox and possibly Walt Disney have declined to participate at this time.
Google has quietly begun adding mainstream movies to YouTube, with rentals ranging in price from $1.99 to $3.99. "We've steadily been adding more and more titles since launching movies for rent on YouTube over a year ago, and now have thousands of titles available," a YouTube spokesperson, while declining to comment on the rumored major studio launch.
Read more - Appleinsider