Looks like British users have turned a corner when it comes to watching movies as LOVEFiLM (the UK’s biggest DVD / Blu-ray rental service) announce that their online streaming service has overtaken the physical DVD and Blu-ray rentals for the first time. With broadband speeds faster than ever and more platforms to play the devices on than ever before, it’s no surprise that this has happened but I am surprised it’s happened this fast as the streaming service is still a relatively new development. People love to watch movies and I guess they get inpatient waiting for the postman to arrive with their next disc so streaming was always going to take over.
LOVEFiLM now have rivals Netflix to contend with which for us as the consumer is a good thing as it keeps them both on their toes. We did a study a little while back (which could be out of date now) looking at how many movies were available to stream over those which were available to rent as physical discs. The latter won by a landslide but more and more movies are added to LOVEFiLM, Netflix, BlinkBox, Sky Go, Virgin TiVo all the time so the numbers are no doubt going to increase hugely as more and more people get used to streaming movies onto their Smart TVs through consoles and watching more on laptops etc.
Good work LOVEFiLM, keep it up and get encoding as we want more movies online please!
Let us know how you watch movies in this little poll. Do you download more than you get physical discs?
[poll id=”9″]
STREAMING SERVICE OVERTAKES DVD AT LOVEFiLM FOR THE FIRST TIME
LOVEFiLM, an Amazon company and pioneer of internet film delivery in Europe, announced today that in February, for the first time ever, LOVEFiLM members streamed more films and TV series instantly over the Internet via LOVEFiLM Instant than rented DVDs, Blu-rays and Games.
The number of films and TV episodes streamed online through Internet-connected devices including games consoles and connected TVs exceeded the number of DVDs, Blu-rays and Games rented by over 20%. This represents an increase on the same month last year of over 400%, while the rental of physical product is also growing, up over 25% over the year.
Jim Buckle, Managing Director of AMAZON’s LOVEFiLM, commented: “The first quarter of 2012 has shown us two things: that LOVEFiLM members are watching more films and TV series both on the Internet and on DVD than ever before and; in less than three years, streaming through LOVEFiLM Instant has become more popular than renting DVDs.
Our members crave instant on-demand access. With more world-class digital content being added to LOVEFiLM Instant and a growing number of Internet-connected devices delivering it to members’ living rooms we expect this trend to continue. At the same time, many of our members continue to enjoy the combination of LOVEFiLM Instant and LOVEFiLM By Post in one, great value for money, subscription, with both services growing rapidly.”
Amazon’s LOVEFiLM surpassed two million members in January 2012, cementing its position as Europe’s largest subscription service for streaming films and TV series over the Internet and sending DVDs and games by post. LOVEFiLM pioneered Internet film delivery in the UK through the world’s first download-to-own service in 2006. By 2009 LOVEFiLM had launched the UK’s first subscription film and TV series streaming service which, in December 2011, became LOVEFiLM Instant, a standalone service streaming on PCs and through over 175 internet-connected devices including Xbox, PS3, internet-connected TVs (SONY, Samsung and LG) and iPad.
Amazon’s LOVEFiLM is constantly adding to the range of film and TV series on LOVEFiLM Instant having signed major content deals including Sony, Warner Bros., STUDIOCANAL, ITV, ABC, and BBC, and offering exclusive titles including vampire phenomenon The Twilight Saga: Eclipse, action-thriller Source Code and, coming soon, critically-acclaimed Tinker Tailor Solider Spy.
