Blockbuster has partnered with Sonic Solutions to offer Video on Demand on a wide variety of consumer electronic devices in an effort to stay competitive with Netflix.
The two companies are working with a number of consumer electronic manufacturers, including Sonic’s CinemaNow, to expand the ecosystem of interoperable devices offering the Blockbuster service.
The devices will include PCs, portable media players, Blu-ray Disc players, set-top boxes, mobile phones and Internet -connected television sets.
Jim Keyes
Blockbuster Chairman and CEO
The two companies will make their digital libraries of content available under the Blockbuster brand offering 10,000 premium films and 40,000 digital titles.
“Blockbuster is a ubiquitous entertainment presence in the physical world. Through this alliance with Sonic, we plan to become a ubiquitous presence in the digital world as well. Our goal is to offer consumers the most digital content, the most accessibility, via the most devices, both in- and out of home,” said Jim Keyes, Blockbuster Chairman and CEO.
Sonic’s device ecosystem, powered by its CinemaNow SDK (software development kit), will help streamline the introduction of Blockbuster’s digital entertainment service into a variety of consumer electronic devices.
“With more and more broadband-enabled consumer electronics hitting the market, there is a growing need for a service that gives consumers access to premium entertainment on any device, anytime and anywhere,” said Dave Habiger, president and CEO, Sonic Solutions.
The new Blockbuster service will be available in the second quarter of this year, pricing details have not been announced.
