Sony Films to Go Mobile
Sony Films is planning to offer movie viewing over cellular phones as it signed an agreement with AT&T and MediaFlo USA. The movies will be shown over the Sony channel, called PIX, which will be available only to subscribers of AT&T Mobile TV.
PIX is one of two exclusive channels that AT&T Mobile TV has announced will be part of their viewing options.
Sony is intent on offering film viewing via mobile phones. In the United States, it was the first company to offer phone memory cards that have built-in full length movies in them. In 2006, it was one of the film studios that worked with MSpot and Sprint to offer pay-per-view movies via mobile phones. It is also in talks with other US carriers although the company hasn’t announced which companies they are negotiating with.
Cellphone manufacturers continue to address the issues of screen size and display quality by developing devices that are more conducive to film viewing. Still, some analysts are skeptical about movies via mobile phones driving demand from consumers. For one thing, cellular phone owners are almost always on the go and will probably be too busy to catch a movie on their handsets. Scheduling is a concern as cellphone users may not be able to watch movies from the beginning.
There are reports that Sony might eventually offer movies on an on-demand basis, which will probably interest viewers more as this option accommodates their schedules. There is also the possibility that PIX will be offered online.
The movies that will be offered by Sony Pictures Television cover varied selection of genres from such film companies as Sony Pictures Classics, Columbia Pictures, TriStar and Screen Gems. Films that are currently on the PIX list of offerings include “Ghostbusters”, “Stand by Me”, “Philadelphia”, “The Karate Kid”, “Resident Evil”, “Memento”, “Roxanne” and Layer Cake.” Movies will run for a month with additional titles to be offered on a weekly basis.
There is no word from Sony about pricing although they may be different schemes implemented depending on the carriers that will include the PIX channel in their lineup. For instance, some carriers may offer advertising spots over the PIX channel and offer it to subscribers for free or some may go the pay-per-view route.
Sony hopes to create more demand by offering varied options. By partnering with AT&T, it has the opportunity to be viewed over one of the largest carriers in the US. AT&T rival, Verizon has also been offering similar services but its service doesn’t include the PIX channel.