Sergey must have been serious about cutting back products (thanks KK):
As a valued Google user, we’re contacting you with some important
information about the videos you’ve purchased or rented from Google Video.
In an effort to improve all Google services, we will no longer offer the
ability to buy or rent videos for download from Google Video, ending the
DTO/DTR (download-to-own/rent) program. This change will be effective
August 15, 2007.
As a valued Google user, we’re contacting you with some important
information about the videos you’ve purchased or rented from Google Video.
In an effort to improve all Google services, we will no longer offer the
ability to buy or rent videos for download from Google Video, ending the
DTO/DTR (download-to-own/rent) program. This change will be effective
August 15, 2007.
Hmm… wonder what this does to deals like Charlie Rose, which seem to be leveraging Google Video for their updated website…
And if you purchased (vs. rented) the video, why shouldn’t you be able to play it in perpetuity? This is fishy.
Charlie Rose content on Google Video will not be affected I believe, cause Charlie Rose has never used DRM as in download-to-own or download-to-rent.
Google Video Store has always let the owner decide if DRM should be applied on the files or not. Most content sold on Google Video does actually not contain DRM so I don’t think that content will be affected.
I guess content owners who had download-to-own and download-to-rent DRM-protected content must have gotten an email from Google by now asking the owners to accept selling without DRM or to wait for upcomming other monetization solutions like advertising in video and some membership fees for unlimited premium access to Google Video and Youtube.
I don’t think that content will be affected.Thanks for very interesting article.