Skip to: Content
Skip to: Site Navigation
Skip to: Search

December 2, 2008 12:06:41 PM CST

Learn about Newser Points »

« Back to the grid | Next story »

Wal-Mart Scraps Online Movie Service

Posted Dec 28, 07 8:14 AM CST in Business,  Technology 

(Newser) – Wal-Mart shuttered its 10-month-old video download service without fanfare last week, ending a disappointing experiment for the bargain retailer, Reuters reports. The site was scrapped after Hewlett Packard canceled the software that supported it, a Wal-Mart spokeswoman said. HP said it made the move after the market failed to perform "as expected."

Hailed by experts as a “game changer” when it launched in February,  Wal-Mart's download service was limited by a restriction that its movies be played on a single computer. Wal-Mart is not offering refunds for the service and plans no revamp with a new tech partner. The news comes on the heels of reports  that  Fox and Apple will offer the first downloadable flicks for rent on iTunes.

Source Reuters

0 comments | Print E-mail | Digg Seed this on Newsvine Add this link to Del.icio.us StumbleUpon

Related Newser Stories

  • Apple Pips Wal-Mart to Become No. 1 Music Store

    Apr 4, 08 12:38 PM CDT
    Apple Pips Wal-Mart to Become No. 1 Music Store Apple has become America's No. 1 music retailer, the Los Angeles Times reports. The company said yesterday that its iTunes store had overtaken Wal-Mart for the first time. Analysts say its ascent to the top spot after just 5 years is a major milestone for the industry and the Internet. More »

  • NetFlix Tries to Pre-Empt Apple

    Jan 13, 08 10:59 PM CST
    NetFlix Tries to Pre-Empt Apple Netflix and Apple are preparing to go head-to-head in the burgeoning business of delivering movies over the Internet . AP reports Netflix is expanding its fledgling movie streaming service,  Watch Instantly, to give most subscribers unlimited access to 6,000 titles. The move comes just as Apple is about to launch its movie streaming service to iTunes users. More »

  • Apple Wants Slice of Movie Rental Biz

    Dec 27, 07 11:53 PM CST
    Apple Wants Slice of Movie Rental Biz Apple is getting ready to formally announce the launch of its online movie rental business, the AP reports. Fox is already on board, as the FT reported yesterday, and other studios are expected to follow in making their movies available for rent through iTunes. Apple's also planning a widespread licensing deal for its FairPlay anti-piracy technology. More »

  • Wal-Mart Moves to Take a Bite Out of Apple

    Aug 21, 07 5:20 PM CDT
    Wal-Mart Moves to Take a Bite Out of Apple Seeking to wrest control of the market from Apple, Wal-Mart today launched an online music store that undercuts iTunes by 5 cents per song. More important, the retail behemoth has dropped DRM copyright protection, which means customers can burn as many CDs as they like and play songs on any MP3 player, the Motley Fool reports. More »

HP's logo is displayed on the entrance to the Hewlett-Packard Headquarters October 5, 2006 in Palo Alto, California.   (Getty Images)
Early morning shoppers await the opening of a Wal-Mart store, in Panorama City, California, 23 November 2007.   (Getty Images)
H. Lee Scott, President and CEO of Wal-Mart, speaks during a panel discussion at the Clinton Global Initiative in New York on 26 September 2007.   (Getty Images)
Music and movies are seen on display at a Wal-Mart in Mountain View, Calif., Wednesday, Nov. 7, 2007. (AP Photo/Paul Sakuma)   (Associated Press)
« Prev« Prev | Next »Next » Slideshow
Our editors also recommend:

Tags

movie • Apple • Wal-Mart • iTunes • online videos • Hewlett Packard • Twentieth Century Fox


Loading...

Premium Articles from HighBeam

Find more articles like this

Today's Most Popular

Loading...

Other Technology Stories

What is Newser?

2008 Codie Finalist

Face it: there's too much news. At Newser a team of editors and writers culls the most important stories from hundreds of U.S. and international sources and reduces them to a headline, picture, and two paragraphs. It's the Newser guarantee: we can take any report or column or video and pack what you need to know into 120 words or less. Newser's short-form aggregation, visual format, and unique information tools help you get more of the kind of news you want, in a quicker and more entertaining way. And we do it 24/7—you can come back morning, noon, night (and in between) for something new that matters. Read less, know more.

Learn more »