Amazon enhances Movies with Amazon Video on Demand
By Azam on July 17, 2008 
Amazon is making it easier to stay home with VOD library 40,000 titles available for immediate viewing. Amazon is improving on previous efforts on media viewing option with Amazon UnBox that required downloading to Windows PC or TIVO device.
Amazon is also partnering with Sony to deliver VOD to the home. Amazon is collaborating with Sony Electronics to place its Internet video store on the top of line SONY Bravia line of high-definition TVs. Users of the service will initially need to use Sony Bravia Internet Video link device to deliver video content directly to SONY high definition television sets. Amazon mentioned that it is also seeking to expand program and add additional partners to better serve users.
Reported in the NYT
“For the first time, this is drop dead simple,” said Bill Carr, Amazon’s vice president for digital media. “Our goal is to create an immersive experience where people can’t help but get caught up in how exciting it is to simply watch a movie right from Amazon.com with a click of the button.”
The service will allow users to store media purchase for VOD in a personal library. A user can watch media at any location through Amazon. An example, the content is purchased using a work computer can be viewed at home computer. The convenience of viewing option on various devices is an attractive value proposition with previous restrictions on device and mobility.
Amazon is still going to face significant completion is digital video media distribution, Apple, Microsoft, Netflix, and Google are competing to deliver digital video to the home. Netflix announced video on demand with Roku box and through PC viewing. Microsoft announced availability of Netflix film library on the XBOX 360 in addition to movies form MGM and Universal through Microsoft Live. Google lurks in the background with the purchase of YouTube and Google Video efforts. Goolge is mired in the copyright protected issues with YouTube and will need to resolve issues with media rights to gain further traction with major publisher of content. Goolge needs to offer a compelling offering to match recent efforts form competition. Apple is slowly moving ahead with Apple TV and library on iTunes offering content for purchase and rental. Sony has announced availability of Sony’s library such as MGM available directly through Bravia televisions and though Sony PlayStaion 3. Content publishers themselves have recent success with directly digital distribution thorough Hulu offering.
Amazon is becoming a major player and extending the reach of the company into digital content. Amazon offers several forms of digital content through MP3s, Digital Books (Kindle & Audible, and Video Content (Amazon UnBox and VOD). Amazon is likely going to increase the efforts in digital realm as the industry adopts technologies and devices that make distribution easier and friendly for consumers. Amazon is likely going to play an efficient and effective mode of distribution both technology and increasing user base of clients using Amazon to purchase items online.
Categories : Media & AdsTags : , Amazon, apple, Apple Tv, Hulu, iTunes, Microsoft, NetFlix, PlayStaion 3, Sony, Sony Bravia, TIVO, Xbox 360