Sprint streams full-length movies to mobiles

Only in the US!

Posted in Mobile, 7th September 2006 13:28 GMT

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Sprint has added full length pay-per-view films to its subscription streaming video service, which has been in operation since last year.

The service, which went live yesterday, launches with 45 films, from distributors including Buena Vista, Sony Pictures, and Universal. The films on offer range from 1980s self-realisation twaddle The Breakfast Club to comparably recent titles such as Spider Man 2 and The Village. The focus is on light entertainment, and the line up will be constantly expanded, according to Sprint.

The fact Sprint has managed to secure these deals is significant: it wasn't long ago that the studios wouldn't allow their content to be sent out at less than 2Mb/sec for fear that lower quality would devalue the product.

But just as the iPod has demonstrated that people will accept lower quality audio in exchange for convenience, so the majority are happy as long as they can discern the faces of the stars and hear most of the dialogue in a film.

Sprint will be charging between $3.99 and $5.99 for its movies, and a single payment allows viewing for at least 24 hours, longer for older films. Rewind, fast forward, and pause are provided, and films will resume where they were last left.

Just don't expect to be able to watch them on a plane. ®

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