EXCLUSIVE: JB Hi Fi who yesterday announced a new 10 million song music streaming service called ‘Now’ is also considering the launch of a video streaming service using the Rovi CinemaNow platform. The service will allow the mass retailer to sell movie and music content as well as advertising.If implemented JB HI FI customers will be able to access content such as movies and TV shows via a range of Internet-connected consumer electronics devices.
Links to the service will also be installed via applications on TVs, Blu-ray players, game consoles, set-top boxes, PCs, and mobile devices, and provide access to a broad library of new movies, TV shows, independent titles and older catalogue films. The cloud-based locker service will also allow customers to access the entertainment they purchase from multiple CinemaNow-enabled devices.
The service was recently taken up by Best Buy in Canada.
According to Terry Smart the Company is considering a video streaming service but he won’t elaborate on when the video streaming service will be launched.
ChannelNews has been told that the Company who is the biggest seller of packaged DVDs in Australia will use the CinemaNow platform and cloud services from Rovi who is believed to be supplying the new JB Hi Fi music platform.
CinemaNow allows consumers to easily stream an extensive catalogue of premium entertainment including new movie releases and next-day TV shows.
The JB Hi Fi music streaming service, dubbed Now, will initially be available via Web client software for Mac and Windows PCs, with apps for mobile devices to follow.
Currently more than 800,000 unique visitors a week visit the JB Hi Fi online store.
The service will offer 6-8 million songs by more than 100,000 artists, JB said. Pricing was not revealed but will almost certainly involve a monthly subscription.
At a later stage JB hopes to market software via the online service, in apparent opposition to Apple, Google, Amazon and other app stores.
The RoxioNow platform is a part of a broad portfolio of Rovi applications, technologies, and cloud services. Available as stand-alone components or as integrated solutions it will allow JB Hi Fi to interface with consumers via the supply of video and music content. The service will also give JB Hi Fi the opportunity to sell advertising on the service.
