James Delahunty
15 Jul 2009 21:23
Blockbuster Inc. has struck a deal with Samsung Electronics America Inc. to offer movie rentals through Samsung's next generation of high-definition TVs. The move, aimed at regaining ground on Netflix, will allow users to receive digital rentals piped through the Internet with their TV remote control and a built-in feature in each TV set.
The rentals are expected to be priced between $1.99 and $3.99 and will be viewable for up to 24 hours. Netflix extended its products first to cover video streaming with a free supplement to its DVD-by-mail service launched in early-2007. Since then, Netflix has been at work getting its streaming features onto several consumer electronics products.
Blockbuster's latest move puts it in partnership with the world's largest manufacturer of flat-screen TVs, and moves it into Netflix' space with support added to Samsung's Blu-ray DVD players and home theater systems. There has been some speculation that Amazon may seek to acquire Netflix, which currently has a market value around $2.5 billion.