Movies Anywhere

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Short description: Digital locker for movies
Movies Anywhere, LLC.
MoviesAnywhereLogo.png
Screenshot
File:Movies Anywhere 2019 Welcome Screen.png
A screenshot of the 2019 Movies Anywhere welcome screen.
Type of site
Digital rights locker service
Video on Demand
Available inEnglish
FoundedFebruary 10, 2014; 10 years ago (2014-02-10)
Predecessor(s)Disney Movies Anywhere
Country of originUnited States
Area servedUnited States
OwnerThe Walt Disney Company
General managerKarin Gilford
ParentWalt Disney Direct-to-Consumer & International
Websitewww.moviesanywhere.com
RegistrationRequired
Users6 Million
[1][2]

Movies Anywhere is a United States -exclusive cloud-based digital locker and over-the-top streaming platform operated by The Walt Disney Company.[3] The service allows users to stream and download purchased films, including digital copies redeemed from codes found in home video releases as well as digital purchases from participating services. The platform provides content from Sony Pictures, Universal Pictures, Warner Bros., and Walt Disney Studios.[4] The system utilizes an internal platform known as KeyChest, which synchronizes content licenses from digital distribution platforms linked to a central user account.

Movies Anywhere was first launched on February 10, 2014 as Disney Movies Anywhere (DMA), with content from Disney, Marvel, Pixar, and Star Wars-branded films on iOS with iTunes Store integration; the service has since been extended to other platforms and storefronts, including Amazon Video, FandangoNOW,[5] Google Play Movies & TV, Microsoft Movies & TV, and Vudu, along with subscribers of Xfinity and Verizon Fios TV services. On October 12, 2017, DMA was relaunched as Movies Anywhere, with other studios joining Disney in offering their film titles through the platform. Some time in 2018, titles on Google Play Movies & TV linked through Movies Anywhere were also made available through the "Purchased Movies" heading on a customer's YouTube account.

Movies Anywhere is a competitor to the UltraViolet platform that was deployed by other major film studios (although the latter is declining as most of those studios move to Movies Anywhere); Disney declined to back the platform, in favor of promoting KeyChest as an alternative. On January 31, 2019, the consortium behind Ultraviolet announced that it would terminate its services on July 31, 2019, although the studios remaining with Ultraviolet (including Paramount Pictures and Lionsgate) have yet to move to Movies Anywhere.[6]

History

In 2009, Disney unveiled a rights synchronization platform known as KeyChest, which would allow content purchases via digital distribution platforms to be queried and used to build a centralized library. The company explained that this system would allow "persistent" access to purchased content across multiple digital platforms, including television set-top boxes and mobiles.[7][8][9][10][11] The platform was viewed as being a competitor to UltraViolet, a competing concept developed by DECE, a consortium containing all other major U.S. film studios but Disney.[11][12]

Disney Movies Anywhere originally launched on February 10, 2014, as an iOS app that allows users to link Disney films purchased on iTunes Store into a unified library with digital copies of Disney films purchased on physical media, so that they can be streamed or downloaded. The integration is achieved by linking a user's Apple ID with a Disney account. The app also allows users to browse through a catalog of Disney films available on iTunes Store, access supplemental content such as interviews and behind-the-scenes footage, and participate in the Disney Movie Rewards program.[13] Walt Disney Studios CTO Jamie Voris explained that the app was designed to provide a "rich, interactive experience" around its content as an alternative to "utilitarian" online stores and that Disney planned to seek additional retail partners for the service in the future.[13]

In November 2014, support for Google Play Movies & TV and Vudu was added.[14][15] In September 2015, support for Amazon Video and Microsoft Movies & TV was added, and DMA apps for Android TV and Roku were also released.[16] In August 2016, Verizon Fios became the first television provider to integrate with DMA, allowing purchases through Fios On Demand to be synced into DMA libraries.[17][18]

In September 2017, DMA ceased support for Microsoft Movies & TV, with future purchases no longer automatically accessible through the linked library [19] However, in August 2018 support for the service provider was officially restored under Movies Anywhere.

On October 10, 2017, it was reported that the DMA platform would expand to include content from non-Disney studios under the name Movies Anywhere, with 20th Century Fox (which was eventually acquired by Disney in 2019), Sony Pictures, Universal Pictures, and Warner Bros. serving as initial partners, and Lionsgate and Paramount Pictures expressing interest.[20] It would also include titles from Disney's Hollywood Pictures and Touchstone Pictures banners that were previously unavailable on DMA. The DMA platform was relaunched on October 12, 2017. The Verge felt that the new platform could be used to replace the commercially unsuccessful UltraViolet platform (which Disney did not support).[12] For physical copies of films printed pre-Movies Anywhere, these studios now route users redeeming codes formerly meant for their redemption portals and Ultraviolet to the redemption section of the Movies Anywhere site.

Just two months after launch, at the January 2018 Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, General Manager Karin Gilford announced that consumers’ accounts had accumulated nearly 80 million movies.[21] That same month, Movies Anywhere was picked the 2018 winner of Home Media Magazine's inaugural Media Play News Fast Forward Awards, honoring people, technologies, organizations, products, or services that move the home entertainment industry forward.

Support for FandangoNow was added on March 13, 2018,[22] with talks also resuming between Movies Anywhere and Microsoft Movies & TV.[23] By then, there were more than 100 million movies in consumer accounts.[24]

On August 6, 2018, it was announced that Microsoft Movies & TV would be rejoining the Movies Anywhere service. By then, the number of movies in customer accounts had grown to more than 135 million.[25][26]

On December 5, Comcast's Xfinity became the second cable provider, after Fios, to partner with Movies Anywhere; subscribers utilize their TV Everywhere login to connect their account to the service.

On January 31, 2019, Ultraviolet announced that it would terminate its services on July 31, 2019 owing to increased support for Movies Anywhere.[27][28] While Lionsgate and Paramount dropped out of that service in July and December 2018, they have not made any transition to Movies Anywhere. MGM, the remaining studio that continued to utilize Ultraviolet, also did not transition to Movies Anywhere (although some MGM films like Missing Link and Booksmart also end up in Movies Anywhere, usually through 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment).

References

  1. ↑ "Privacy Policy - Movies Anywhere". https://moviesanywhere.com/privacy-policy. 
  2. ↑ Spangler, Todd (November 9, 2018). "Movies Anywhere Hits 6 Million Users, Over 150 Million Movies Stored in First Year". https://variety.com/2018/digital/news/movies-anywhere-disney-6-million-app-downloads-1203023433/. Retrieved November 9, 2018. 
  3. ↑ Prange, Stephanie (October 11, 2017). "Movies Anywhere App Launches With Joint Studio Backing". Variety. https://variety.com/2017/digital/news/movies-anywhere-launches-with-joint-studio-backing-1202587915/. Retrieved October 12, 2017. 
  4. ↑ Hayes, Dade; D'Alessandro, Anthony (2017-10-11). "Four Major Studios Join U.S. Launch Of Disney’s Movies Anywhere Digital Service". Deadline. http://deadline.com/2017/10/four-major-studios-join-disney-movies-anywhere-digital-service-1202186760/. 
  5. ↑ Spangler, Todd (March 12, 2018). "Fandango Joins Disney-Owned Movies Anywhere". Variety. https://variety.com/2018/digital/news/fandango-movies-anywhere-disney-1202724990/. Retrieved June 17, 2018. 
  6. ↑ "Ultraviolet shutting down on July 31, 2019". https://www.myuv.com/. Retrieved 2019-01-31. 
  7. ↑ Price, Emily (2014-02-25). "Disney Movies Anywhere service launches with an unprecedented link to iTunes" (in en-US). Engadget. https://www.engadget.com/2014/02/25/disney-movies-anywhere/. 
  8. ↑ Drawbaugh, Ben (2010-01-10). "Disney's KeyChest is not DRM" (in en-US). Engadget. https://www.engadget.com/2010/01/10/disneys-keychest-is-not-drm/. 
  9. ↑ Warren, Christina (2009-10-21). "Disney's Going Digital: Buy Once, Watch Anywhere" (in en). Mashable. http://mashable.com/2009/10/21/disney-going-digital/. 
  10. ↑ Healey, Jon (2010-01-05). "Disney offers KeyChest, but where is the KeyMaster?" (in en-US). https://latimesblogs.latimes.com/technology/2010/01/disney-keychest-drm-dece.html. 
  11. ↑ 11.0 11.1 Smith, Ethan (2009-10-21). "Disney Touts a Way to Ditch the DVD" (in en-US). Wall Street Journal. ISSN 0099-9660. https://www.wsj.com/articles/SB10001424052748703816204574485650026945222. 
  12. ↑ 12.0 12.1 Bishop, Bryan (2017-10-12). "Hollywood studios join Disney to launch Movies Anywhere digital locker service". The Verge. https://www.theverge.com/2017/10/12/16462824/movies-anywhere-digital-movie-locker-disney-warner-bros-universal-twentieth-century-fox-sony. 
  13. ↑ 13.0 13.1 Ha, Anthony (2014-02-25). "Disney Launches Disney Movies Anywhere, An iTunes-Integrated App Where Fans Can Build Their Movie Library" (in en). TechCrunch. https://techcrunch.com/2014/02/25/disney-movies-anywhere/. 
  14. ↑ Graser, Marc (November 14, 2014). "Walmart’s Vudu Joins Disney Movies Anywhere" (in en-US). Variety. https://variety.com/2014/digital/news/walmarts-vudu-joins-disney-movies-anywhere-1201356728/. 
  15. ↑ Buhr, Sarah (2014-11-03). "Disney And Google Partner Up For Disney Movies Anywhere Access On Google Play" (in en). TechCrunch. https://techcrunch.com/2014/11/03/disney-and-google-partner-up-for-disney-movies-anywhere-access-on-google-play/. 
  16. ↑ Welch, Chris (2015-09-08). "Disney's fantastic cloud movie locker now works with Amazon, Microsoft video apps". The Verge. https://www.theverge.com/2015/9/8/9276525/disney-movies-anywhere-now-available-amazon-microsoft. 
  17. ↑ Baumgartner, Jeff (2016-08-23). "Verizon Fios First MVPD to Connect to Disney Movies Anywhere" (in en). http://www.multichannel.com/news/content/verizon-fios-first-mvpd-connect-disney-movies-anywhere/407221. 
  18. ↑ Chen, I-Chun (2016-08-24). "Verizon Fios joins Disney Movies Anywhere platform". https://www.bizjournals.com/losangeles/news/2016/08/24/verizon-fios-joins-disney-movies-anywhere.html. 
  19. ↑ Moon, Mariella (2017-09-08). "Disney Movies Anywhere drops Microsoft as a partner" (in en-US). Engadget. https://www.engadget.com/2017/09/08/disney-movies-anywhere-drops-microsoft/. 
  20. ↑ Gruenwedel, Erik (October 10, 2017). "Disney Movies Anywhere Adds Fox, WB, Universal (Report)". Variety. https://variety.com/2017/digital/news/disney-movies-anywhere-adds-fox-wb-universal-report-1202585994/. 
  21. ↑ Arnold, Thomas (February 25, 2018). "Betting on Movies Anywhere". Media Play News. https://www.mediaplaynews.com/betting-on-movies-anywhere/. Retrieved April 27, 2018. 
  22. ↑ England, Rachel (March 13, 2018). "Movies Anywhere includes your FandangoNOW flicks". Engadget. https://www.engadget.com/2018/03/13/movies-anywhere-includes-your-fandangonow-flicks/. 
  23. ↑ Thorp-Lancaster, Dan (March 14, 2018). "Microsoft 'in discussions' about joining Movies Anywhere". Mobile Nations. https://www.windowscentral.com/microsoft-discussions-about-joining-movies-anywhere. Retrieved July 19, 2018. 
  24. ↑ Prange, Stephanie (2018-03-12). "Movies Anywhere Adds FandangoNow". Media Play News (JCH Media Inc.). https://www.mediaplaynews.com/movies-anywhere-adds-fandangonow/. Retrieved 2018-04-27. 
  25. ↑ Moon, Tim (August 6, 2018). "Microsoft Movies & TV rejoins Movies Anywhere". Neowin. https://www.neowin.net/news/microsoft-movies--tv-rejoins-movies-anywhere. 
  26. ↑ Latchem, John (2018-08-06). "Microsoft Joins Movies Anywhere Platform". Media Play News (JCH Media Inc.). https://www.mediaplaynews.com/microsoft-joins-movies-anywhere-platform/. Retrieved 2018-08-06. 
  27. ↑ Perez, Sarah (2019-01-31). "Cloud movie locker UltraViolet is finally closing". TechCrunch (AOL). https://techcrunch.com/2019/01/31/cloud-movie-locker-ultraviolet-is-finally-closing. Retrieved 2019-02-01. 
  28. ↑ Latchem, John (January 31, 2019). "Digital Movie Service UltraViolet Shutting Down July 31". Media Play News. https://www.mediaplaynews.com/digital-movie-service-ultraviolet-shutting-down-july-31/. Retrieved February 12, 2019. 

External links

  • – official site




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