Feasibility Study of a Digital Platform for the delivery of UK ... - BFI

UK FILM COUNCIL
programmes transferred to their portable devices via their PC. Every morning the devices can be loaded with new programmes recorded
the night before.
Strategic Positioning
With a considerable library at its disposal, and a tendency to explore avenues of direct retail, Sony is unlikely to seek third party content
over its service in the short term. However, as competition increases, especially from Apple, the need to differentiate its service may
force Sony Connect to sign a more diverse range of content agreements. Given Sony Pictures’ adherence to independent and specialised
content through its own subsidiary labels (such as Sony Pictures Classics) it is expected that part of the library content available will be
closer to the genres that the UKFC wishes to support.
Apple iTunes
On Demand Offering
Built on the iPod personal music device, of which there are currently in excess of 30m sold worldwide, Apple’s iTunes Store is the most
successful music download service in the world, with almost 600m music track sales since launch. As of November 2005, the service
accounted for 80 per cent of the UK digital music market.
Notably, Apple spent much of 2005 working on adding video functionality to its application-based platform, culminating with the launch of
the video iPod in October this year. The new iPod supports video playback at 30fps using either the H.264 or MPEG 4 codecs and features
a 2.5 inch colour screen with a resolution of 320 by 240. It can display video or pictures on a TV using Apple's new universal dock. The
iPod is available with either a 30Gb or 60Gb hard disk and retails for $299 and $399 in the USA and £219 and £299 in the UK.
Video content is handled through iTunes 6 which allows users to download-to-own music videos, short films, and TV shows from iTunes.
At present there are 2,000 music videos available in the USA and approximately 1,000 available in the UK from artists including Madonna
and U2. Short films come from Pixar, animation studio affiliated to Apple CEO Steve Jobs. Premium TV content, meanwhile, is currently
limited to five series and is only available in the USA and is supplied by Disney (Lost and Desperate Housewives). The TV content is
available on the day after transmission. Apple has continued the one size fits all pricing policy that it pioneered with music - all videos
cost $1.99 from the US iTunes Store and £1.89 from UK store. However, unlike music, users don't have the ability to burn the videos to
CD or DVD. iTunes 6 also handles video podcasts (vodcasts) and allows users to put home movies onto their iPod.
Feasibility Study for a Digital Platform for the delivery of Independent UK films and Specialised films to the Home
UK Film Council © 2006
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