Why the writing may be on the wall for Redbox Instant
Redbox Instant hasn’t been able to sign up new users for three months due to a credit card fraud issue that may fasten the video service’s demise.
Redbox Instant hasn’t been able to sign up new users for three months due to a credit card fraud issue that may fasten the video service’s demise.
Chromecast users just got a few more options to beam movies, TV shows and music to the TV screen: Video subscription service Redbox Instant added support for Google’s (S GOOG) Chromecast streaming adapter to its Android app this week. Indie movie streaming service Fandor also recently added Chromecast support to its iOS, Android and web apps, and the Android Music app SoundTracker now supports casting as well.
http://www.forbes.com/sites/afontevecchia/2013/10/04/netflix-competitor-redbox-sees-barry-rosensteins-jana-become-top-stockholder/
Activist investor Barry Rosenstein has bought a 14.5 percent share in Outerwall, the parent company of Redbox, for around $204 million, reports Forbes. Rosenstein, who made the investment through his Jana Partners outlet, believes Outerwall to be undervalued, declaring in an SEC statement that options include cost cutting as well as “pursuing a sale, selling and/or discontinuing businesses.” Outerwall not only competes with Netflix through its Redbox DVD kiosks, but also through Redbox Instant, a subscription streaming service the company jointly launched with Verizon.
It looks like Chromecast won’t be limited to playing content from YouTube and Netflix for very long, with a number of media platforms getting ready to support the new device.
Roku users will soon have access to yet another video subscription service. Redbox Instant will launch its very own Roku channel this summer.
Redbox Instant is coming to Google TV devices soon, and the company plans to launch a channel on Roku streaming media players soon after.
Microsoft’s Xbox 360 is getting yet another video service with the launch of a Redbox Instant app. This marks the first time Redbox Instant is available on a game console.
Redbox Instant is available to all after a closed beta test that netted the company tens of thousands of paying customers. CEO Shawn Strickland told us that his company won’t do original content any time soon.
Redbox Instant is letting its users play for prizes to get feedback on its beta test, and collect a lot of useful data in the process. Data that one day could be used to improve the service’s movie discovery.
Don’t count out DVDs just yet: That was one of the key messages that Redbox Instant by Verizon CEO Shawn Strickland had for a select group of reporters Wednesday. Strickland said that Netflix’s decision to sideline DVDs was a mistake.