April 6, 2010
If a recent survey sent out by DVD kiosk operator redbox is any indication, the company is thinking about getting into the streaming media business.
High-Def Digest reports that the survey asked customers if they would be interested in paying $3.95 per month for a plan that includes unlimited streaming and four regular DVD rentals – effectively making the streaming a free bonus, since movies rent for a dollar per day.
The writer of the post is skeptical of the plan, thinking it doesn't stand much of a chance against streaming entertainment leader Netflix:
$3.95 is a nice low monthly fee, but that immediately raises questions of availability and compatibility. Part of the reason Netflix is so great is that you can use it on a huge range of devices. It's also constantly being upgraded, with HD streaming coming to PC and 5.1 sound coming to all devices by the end of the year.