Amazon and Warner Bros. Reach Agreement Over UltraViolet Digital Format
Reports are circulating in which Amazon has reached a business agreement with Warner Bros. that will make the company the first major retailer to offer films in the upcoming UltraViolet digital format.
News of the deal surfaced at CNET just one day after Amazon VP Bill Carr had announced at a CES panel discussion that the company had reached a deal with a major Hollywood studio.
During his announcement Carr stood on the stage with members of the Digital Entertainment Content Ecosystem (DECE) including Warner Bros., Fox., Universal and Sony.
The announcement still hasn’t been officially made by Warner Bros. or Amazon.
If you’re unfamiliar with the UltraViolet format it’s intended as a way to alleviate the jitters some users feel over Internet video while still keeping the sales of physical discs. During the programs early implementation restrictions were placed on how long they could hold onto a digital copy and some technical encounters were experienced.
According to the UV group they will adopt a common file format in late 2012 which should help solve technical issues that are associated with different digital rights management setups.
Do you think the move to the UltraViolet system was a smart decision for Amazon and the studios that support it? Would you be more inclined to use the program if a common file format was implemented by studios using UltraViolet technology?
