Blockbuster Streaming Service Reportedly Coming to Samsung Devices
Blockbuster caused quite a stir last September when rumors started swirling that the company would soon be launching a streaming service ala Netflix, but the end result was a decidedly more tepid offering limited to Dish Network subscribers. This wasn’t necessarily a huge surprise given that Dish Network spent a couple hundred million dollars buying up the former industry giant, but there was definitely some disappointment that Blockbuster and Dish did not give any indication that the service would be more widely available at some point. That may be about to change as Samsung and Blockbuster have reportedly signed a deal to bring the Blockbuster streaming service to Samsung devices this year. The US and Europe are expected to receive access in the first half of 2012 with Australia following before the end of the year. The most interesting tidbit is a rumor that Samsung is in the process of developing a billing system to accompany the service, suggesting that Samsung, not Blockbuster, will be signing up customers. If this is the case, it would position Blockbuster to act more as a distribution middle-man than a service provider, a move that might, in the long-term, incentivize device manufacturers to promote their own Blockbuster-backed, revenue-generating app/service over competitors such as Hulu or Netlfix.
Samsung has reportedly signed a new deal with Blockbuster that will see the company deliver thousands of movies to the Korean electronics giant’s Galaxy smartphone and tablet range, Blu-ray players and new connected Smart TVs.