Spotify To Launch New Video Product This Week (thestack.com) 9
An anonymous reader writes: After first announcing the introduction of a video streaming service in May last year, Spotify is finally launching the feature this week. The Swedish company has taken its time tinkering with the new product and beta testing it on groups for months, readying it for its widespread rollout. Not all of the video content will be music-related – keeping the product's potential wide open to different verticals. Spotify has already confirmed partnerships with the BBC, Vice Media, Maker Studios, ESPN, and Comedy Central, among other popular brands. Initially, the video service will only be available in the mobile version of the Spotify app for consumers in the U.S., the UK, Germany and Sweden. It will roll out on Android first, before arriving on iOS a week later. It is also expected to be an ad-free feature at launch, but it is doubtful that it will remain like this for long.
Rental vs. purchase (Score:2)
Streaming services are crap and they will always be. Give me a non-DRM video file to download or don't give me anything!
Traditionally, publishers are willing to offer rental cheaper than purchase, leaving purchase for things like Frozen and Shrek 2 that get watched repeatedly [cracked.com]. Digital restrictions management on things like Netflix is used to enforce the rental terms. The only way non-DRM is likely to happen is as a purchase equivalent. Are you willing to pay $20 to watch a movie once?
I wonder what more people have asked for (Score:2)
What has been requested more - video streaming, or lossless compression for audio?
I suspect the latter.