Sony has launched its video-on-demand service Qriocity in Europe, making its catalogue of movies available via its internet connected TVs, but not its popular PS3 console.
Sony, which competes in Hollywood with the likes of MGM, Universal, Disney and Warner, has successfully signed up its rivals to the store for distribution and will make their films equally available on Qriocity.
In order to access Qriocity, users need to sign up to the service, have a 2010-series Internet TV or Blu-ray player/home theatre and be able to pick the Qriocity icon from the device’s XMB menu.
Strangely enough, the PS3 has been left out of supported devices, even though there far more users hooked up to Sony’s PS3 than to their 2010 Internet TVs.
In the UK, prices for standard-definition back-catalogue content will be £2.49 while new titles will rent out for £3.49. Hi-Def will have a similar, if more expensive £3.49/£4.49 pairing.
Users have a fortnight to watch their rented films before they expire.
The company also has plans for Qriocity to expand into music sales (under the Music Unlimited service), gaming and ebooks, but has so far kept quiet about these plans.
The Qriocity VOD service is available right now in Britain, but also in Spain, France, Germany and Italy, with plans to expand to the rest of Europe in 2011.
http://www.qriocity.com/gb/en/
