“Walt Disney is planning to start selling movies over the Internet via CinemaNow, and this will include new film downloads – on the very day of release. Buena Vista Home Entertainment, Disney’s Home Video arm, is to make the films available, on a download-to-own basis,” TechTree reports. “This facility will allow downloaders the ability to purchase films, both new and old, for viewing on personal computers and portable devices. And, movies will be made available over the Internet the same day they would be available on DVDs. Customers will be able to move the films to other PCs or portable devices that support CinemaNow’s copyright-protection technology.”

“Starting June 6 this year with the DVD release of basketball drama ‘Glory Road,’ Disney will begin offering both new movies and older catalog titles like ‘The Insider’ via CinemaNow. Eisen explained that prices would be similar to DVDs, or about $20 per new title, and $10 for some of the older films. The movies that will be in Windows Media Video format, can be transferred to up to three more devices including laptop PCs and handheld electronic devices,” TechTree reports. “According to reports, Disney’s pact with CinemaNow is non-exclusive, meaning Disney can make similar deals with other online services in the future.”

Full article here.

[Thanks to MacDailyNews Reader "Jose" for the heads up.]

MacDailyNews Take: One has to wonder how Disney’s Board of Directors member and largest shareholder, Apple CEO Steve Jobs, feels about this Windows-only idea using a Microsoft format that excludes Mac and iPod users. Most likely, Jobs has a lot more cooking right now behind-the-scenes with Disney than this little CinemaNow venture.

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Related articles:
Mac users need not apply: Movielink launches Windows-only download service for major motion pictures – April 03, 2006
Disney completes Pixar acquisition; Steve Jobs now Disney’s single largest shareholder – May 05, 2006