Vudu Online Movie Service Acquired By Wal-Mart
The word's out today from the NY Times that that Wal-Mart is set to acquire Vudu, the online movie streaming service in an acquisition set to be worth approximately $100 million. Additional information and the full press release can be found after the break.
Vudu had been known recently for its Vudu Box and Vudu XL service, used to distribute movies over the web via a hybrid peer-to-peer technology, in which they were the first to stream video at 1080p high-def. Wal-Mart is evidently betting that the majority of consumers will gradually move toward the online distribution of media content, leaving DVDs and physical media behind in the dust.
Because DVD sales have declined in recent years, retailers and studios have looked to digital distribution to slide back in line with profits. Wal-Mart, who happens to be the largest DVD retailer in the country, may seem like it has shot itself in the foot with this move. But with digital distribution being an increasingly more economical medium, like the iPad partnership between the NY Times and Apple, this move may very well determine and reestablish their business model for the future.
Walmart Announces Acquisition of Digital Entertainment Provider, VUDU
Company takes next step to enhance home entertainment and information delivery options for consumers
BENTONVILLE, Ark., Feb. 22, 2010 — Walmart announced today a definitive agreement to acquire VUDU, Inc., a leading provider of digital technologies and services that enable the delivery of entertainment content directly to broadband high-definition TVs and Blu-ray players. The deal is expected to close within the next few weeks.
VUDU is a revolutionary service, built into a growing number of broadband-ready TVs and Blu-ray players, that delivers instant access to thousands of movies and TV shows directly through the television. Customers with broadband Internet access and an Internet-ready TV or Blu-ray player can rent or purchase movies, typically in high-definition, without needing a connected computer or cable/satellite service. New movies and features will be added continually, enabling customers to enjoy a product that continues to become more robust long after they have left the store.
"The real winner here is the customer," said Eduardo Castro-Wright, vice chairman for Walmart. "Combining VUDU's unique digital technology and service with Walmart's retail expertise and scale will provide customers with unprecedented access to home entertainment options as they migrate to a digital environment."
VUDU has licensing agreements with almost every major movie studio and dozens of independent and international distributors to offer approximately 16,000 movies, including the largest 1080p library of video on-demand movies available anywhere. Via their broadband Internet connection, users have the ability to rent or buy titles and begin viewing them instantly.
VUDU will continue developing entertainment and information delivery solutions such as VUDU Apps, a platform that delivers hundreds of streaming Internet applications and services to TVs and Blu-ray players with built-in Internet connectivity. VUDU has partnered with some of the leading names in Internet and media entertainment to offer applications on its platform including Facebook, Flickr, Twitter, The New York Times and The Associated Press.
"We are excited about the opportunity to take our company's vision to the next level," said Edward Lichty, VUDU executive vice president. "VUDU's services and Apps platform will give Walmart a powerful new vehicle to offer customers the content they want in a way that expands the frontier of quality, value and convenience."
VUDU, based in Santa Clara, Calif., will become a wholly-owned subsidiary of Walmart. The company is not disclosing financial terms of the agreement as the acquisition is not material to its first quarter earnings for fiscal year 2011.
[via New York Times]