Google acquires DRM henchmen with Widevine buy

Content enshacklement comes to the Chocolate Factory

By Kelly Fiveash • Get more from this author

Posted in Music and Media, 6th December 2010 13:34 GMT

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Google has bought DRM software outfit Widevine for an undisclosed sum.

The company, which agreed to purchase Seattle-based Widevine last Friday, said it plans to fold the Widevine’s digital rights management tech presumably into its newborn television platform, Google TV.

“By forging partnerships across the entire ecosystem, Widevine has made on demand services more efficient and secure for media companies, and ultimately more available and convenient for users,” said Google product management veep Mario Queiroz.

“We are committed to maintaining Widevine’s agreements and will provide direct, quality support for their existing and future clients – and we plan to build upon Widevine’s technology to enhance both their products and our own.”

Widevine’s tech is currently used on around 250 million web-connected televisions and devices to help film studios prevent their video content from being streamed by pirates. Its customers include Best Buy, LoveFilm and NetFlix. ®

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