Spotify has indirectly denied reports it’s planning to launch a movie streaming service to go with its music streaming service. But it remains a viable possibility. The bigger question is whether Hollywood has finally begun to accept a future that is already the present for most of us.
Spotify Movies
, quoting a “source in the industry,” claimed recently that Spotify was planning an assault on the streaming video market, with recently-released movies being available to rent through the service not long after their theatrical release window. Several “major movie studios” are said to already be on board, with a fall 2011 launch likely.
Spotify founder Daniel Ek tweeted a denial stating, “No it ain’t true. Media these days are funny. Soon I’ll be reading that Spotify is launching a space rocket.” But that hasn’t stopped the speculation, with TechCrunch maintaining Spotify has denied other leaked stories only for them to then be verified down the line.
Hollywood Acceptance
Whether or not Spotify is eyeing movie streaming to compliment its music streaming, the very notion is promising, because it means there is a general air of acceptance in Hollywood that the Internet is the future of the industry. OK, so the MPAA doesn’t feel that way because it’s too busy trying (and failing) to combat piracy, but the studios and filmmakers are the people that truly count.
We already have Netflix offering movies on a monthly subscription basis, Apple iTunes and Amazon Instant Video offering the same on a one-off rental or purchase basis. And YouTube is preparing to relaunch its movie rental service with several big-name studios keen to be involved rather than miss out on all the fun (and potential profit).
Conclusions
is still struggling to persuade the music industry to sign up for the future, but maybe Hollywood will prove easier to convince on a grand scale. Even if Spotify isn’t involved there are plenty of other companies ready to fill the void currently being filled by piracy.
Surely having legal alternatives is the way to tackle a problem that no other solution has even come close to solving.
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