Netflix says 1 million Xbox members use movie service
Rueters: By Sue Zeidler Thu Feb 5, 2009 12:50pm EST
http://www.reuters.com/article/filmNews/idUSTRE5145SF20090205
The Online Dvd supplier Netflix said this week that one million Xbox 360 owners use their movie streaming service. The partnership between Microsoft Xbox and Netflix began three months ago and over a million members have activated the service since.
"Netflix said the Xbox LIVE community has watched 1.5 billion minutes of movies and TV episodes through its Watch Instantly video service."
Analysts and other companies are watching the partnership to gauge the success of the web as a medium for rental and sales of DVD's and other media. Companies like Disney are noticing declines in sales of home movies and is looking for new ways to bring movies to the consumer.
Netflix had better-than-expected quarterly results, they attribute this to their streaming movie and TV show capabilities as well as the new partnership with Xbox.
With the use of a device like an Xbox or other set-top boxes, subscribers to netflix can view streaming media for a 9$ a month fee. This is where Netflix differs from its competitors at Amazon and Apple, whom charge customers for media on an a-la-carte basis.
In my opinion, this is a great development for media and the internet. By sending movies and shows streaming over the internet, the consumer will never have to leave the home to have access to more than 12,000 titles. The titles are also streaming, cutting out the time that would be spent downloading or running to the store.
The ability to stream media through a tv, with the help of an Xbox, will change the way people will see there televisions. For the price of one dvd rental five years ago, now consumers can have access to a vast library of shows and movies.
But how will this affect the producers and retailers for movies? What does the future hold for Hollywood, the local theatre and the silver screen?
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