Universal pilots film download partnership with Wippit.com

Posted on 6 Jul 2006 at 11:02

Universal Pictures UK has signed a deal with music download service Wippit.com to offer movies via a 'download to own' service. This is the first time a Hollywood studio has signed a deal with an independent download service, claims Wippit. It is likely that the UK is being used as a pilot for similar rollouts around the world.

The agreement means that a wide selection of the Universal catalogue - including recent films such as Jarhead, King Kong and Pride and Prejudice - will be on offer alongside a range of 'Catalogue' and 'Special Interest' titles, which will be available to download on the same date as the DVD release.

Downloads will be priced from £4.99 up to £19.99 per title, although for a limited period there will be a special introductory offer of three titles for £20.

Customers will be able to download movies for permanent ownership, rather than simply streamed over the Internet, via Universal's licensing model that allows the buyer to possess two digital files, downloadable to a PC and a portable device, in conjunction with the DVD sent by post.

Universal UK, was the first subsidiary of a major studio that offered DVD quality downloads for sale to customers earlier this spring. At the time, it was widely suggested that Universal would be partnering with established download sites.

Although, Wippit is serious player in the UK downloads market - an independent survey by XTN Data reckoned it to be the third most preferred provider of music downloads - it was expected that a studio like Universal would sign with one of the majors like Apple's iTunes. However, Hollywood is still negotiating with Steve Jobs over variable pricing. Wippit has been more accommodating. In the meantime, Universal promises that more announcements are in the pipeline.

Author: Steve Malone