Sony is seeing “very high demand” initially for...
Sony is seeing “very high demand” initially for the content on its Video Unlimited 4K service since its launch last month, said Nick Colsey, Sony Electronics vice president-business development. The amount of content being bought and rented as well as…
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the length of time users are spending to watch the available content “outstrip” those of other HD services with similar content, he said. Customers are “hungry for 4K content and we are giving them the biggest and best selection available anywhere,” said Colsey. The TV show Breaking Bad has been the most popular title, he said. More than 70 full-length feature films and TV shows were initially made available through the service, and more than 100 such titles will be available in 4K before the end of the year, said Sony, including the current 70. Movies available now include This is the End, After Earth, Moneyball, Think Like A Man, Premium Rush, Ghostbusters and The Amazing Spider-Man. Coming titles will include the movie Elysium, said Sony. The download service also offers short-form videos and all the content is in native 4K Ultra HD resolution for download by consumers with a Sony Ultra HD Media Player and Sony 4K Ultra HD TV, it said. The cost for TV episodes is $3.99, while feature films start at $7.99 for a 24-hour rental or $29.99 for a purchase. Select purchased titles include an UltraViolet digital version of the movie or TV show, allowing consumers to view their content on the go in HD or standard definition, said Sony. The vast majority of the 53 feature films available in 4K on the service Friday were from Sony Pictures. But Sony said two independent movies were also available: Saints and Soldiers and Life Cycles. Asked Friday if there were any plans to expand the service to more non-Sony titles, especially movies from other major Hollywood studios, Colsey said Sony was “always exploring the possibilities,” but there was “nothing to announce at this point.” There were also 20 episodes of Breaking Bad on the service Friday, along with 38 shorts, music videos and other short-form content, said Sony. Owners of the Sony 4K Ultra HD Media Player (FMP-X1) will receive updated content over the Internet, enabling them to rent or buy the latest titles, the company said.