Sony Plans Legal Movie Download Service for PSP

Is the PSP the future of handheld movie viewing after all?

Posted by Staff
Sony Pictures Home Entertainment is planning on launching a movie download service in 2007, to allow PSP users to legally download a film to a PC and then to transfer a single, legal version of the film to a Sony memory stick to view on the move.

Sony is currently in talks with Amazon.com and film download sites such as Movielink and CinemaNow to back the service, which is planned to launch in early 2007. Sony is distributing a 4Gb memory stick capable of storing up to 10 feature films.

The PSP service will of course not be compatible with Apple’s iTunes store, currently the dominant legal film download platform.

However, it should also be pointed out that only Disney has so far made its films available on iTunes. Other major studios have been less forthcoming, due to the fact that an unlimited numbers of iPods can download copies of films that have been legally purchased on iTunes and then downloaded to a PC.

Sony boasts a healthy catalogue from its acquisitions of Columbia Tri-Star, MGM and United Artists. Films such as the full James Bond set, Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, Kill Bill (yeah, great) and – of course - Wubbulous World of Dr. Seuss, The - The Cat's Family and Friends should be available.

Mike Goodman, a digital entertainment programme manager research firm the Yankee Group, is quoted in the Financial Times yesterday saying that the service would “open the [video download] market up” for Sony - an industry forecast to grow at an exponential rate during the next five years.

The FT goes on to report that, “Global revenue from online video sales will be $298m this year,” and that the market is set “to grow to $1.5bn in annual revenues by the end of 2007 and to $5.9bn by 2010.”

Sony’s move follows Microsoft’s recently launched online TV and movie rental service on Xbox Live Marketplace – though that service is only available in North America to date, with a European launch date still expected to be announced soon.

Let us know your thoughts on legal movie downloads for your PSP in the forum.
Companies:

Comments

Joji 18 Dec 2006 15:04
1/3
I thought this would be more likely for PS3 than PSP, because of the hard ddrive aspect of it. Sounds okay but I prefer live action and anime tv series myself. I have a 2 gb card and that's what goes on mine.

Whole probelm with this download service thing is the regional waiting period. As we know the u.s tends to get stuff first and to be honest some people don't want to wait months to see said film or tv series. The nature of the net is to get access to things when you want them not when tv and film studios decide. Until companies etc can match the net legally there's no hope of them sorting out this mess.

Nice idea, but I can't say I'll be downloading any flicks. I prefer dvds.

''Now, wiggle your big toe''.
majin dboy 18 Dec 2006 16:04
2/3
yeah,because it was the UMD people didnt like sony(saracism),the bottom line is watching movies on a PSP is a chore,wen u watch movies u wana sit back and relax,not give ur self a stiff neck.


i think there is more chance opf been able to take my mothers vaginity than this service succedding.
cici 11 Aug 2008 07:08
3/3
It’s our goal to collect all European classic movies and create the biggest platform for free movies over the internet. A purely English movies website is the paradise of the movie fans. Just imagine, do you want to watch the high energy action scenes of action movie 007? Do you want to watch the great scene of sci-fi Star War? Do you want to watch the comedy movies like Meet the Spartans, the horror movie The Taxas Chainsaw Massacre, the romance My Blueberry Nights, the drama Forest Gump and the most popular cartoon Kungfu Panda? [snip] can meet your requirement with complete classic movies. If you like, pls visit: [snip]. It is the most professional English movie site! You can enjoy all the classic European movies with [snip].


[11 Aug 2008, 19:37: Message edited by 'tyrion']
"Professional" and forum spamming don't mix. Please contact us for advertising rates; we're professional enough not to tell you to sod off as soon as we hear your name. :-)
Posting of new comments is now locked for this page.