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mSpot has launched a service that makes instant streaming of full-length feature movies available on-demand to millions of mobile phone users. mSpot Mobile Movies™ is now available on all four major U.S. carriers via the mobile web and initially across 30 different handset devices, including the iPhone, Blackberry, Palm, Windows Mobile and many high-end feature phones, reaching over 40 million subscribers.
The Mobile Movies service has been in development for over a year. During this time, mSpot perfected the streaming technology and inked deals with the major studios. Mobile Movies marks the first direct-to-consumer component of mSpot’s movie offering, which launched three years ago with streaming movies limited through Sprint and Bell Mobility.
To access mSpot Mobile Movies, consumers go to m.mSpot.com on their phone, and use a credit card to purchase individual movies for $4.99 each, or subscribe to a monthly Movie Club membership at $9.99, $12.99 or $15.99 per month. Then they simply use their phone’s web browser to access the movie instantly, no need to wait for download or syncing to a PC. mSpot’s Mobile Movies selection of films includes titles such as “The Reader” and “Zach and Miri Make a Porno.”
mSpot operates 20 multimedia services across 10 carriers in North American, and is experienced in delivering the best movie experience on each phone. mSpot accomplishes this by matching different video encodings to each individual handset and network. There are 18 different versions of every movie title, varying by codecs, bitrate and aspect ratio. The result means the best possible viewing experience regardless of handset.
CEO Darren Tsui said “This is something no one has done before – deliver excellent quality streaming video for full-length films on the mobile device. We’re excited to be the first on the market, and look forward to giving people the instant mobile entertainment they crave.”
At launch, mSpot has agreements with Paramount Studios and The Weinstein Company, as well as a pending deal with Universal, that grant them the rights to allow streaming movies, as well as full access to both new releases and past movies. mSpot plans to announce additional content partners this year to expand its movie catalog – in the coming months it expects to give fans access to thousands of movies over a hundred handset devices.
About The Author
Ben Robinson
Ben is a 10+ year veteran of the Mobile industry – starting his career when SMS was a still a relatively new concept for most people (!), he has now consulted on everything from bleeding-edge Mobile content, to the next-gen accessories you might view it on. As a result he has a broad and deep knowledge in numerous areas of Mobile – from network operators to device vendors, to infrastructure and middleware vendors (not to mention content delivery) – and has worked for companies in all of these areas! He is based in the UK, a hotbed of activity for mobile, and recently became a father for the second time – as oppose to in his younger years when he was happy spend time tweaking all manner of mobile devices to 'nth' degree, he now looks for services and hardware that provide the most efficient, compact, and reliable improvements to his already manic life! It’s his opinion that Mobile solutions should be there to help to make your life better – if a particular solution (be it service or device) isn’t doing this, he believes you need to ask the very important question of why you continue to use it... His focus at IntoMobile is mainly on Mobile content, services, and infrastructure, particularly as regards the UK market – and with the occasional look at devices. Additionally, using his extensive experience in the industry, he will provide commentary on the industry at large, with regular (and hopefully thought-provoking) articles.
