NBCUniversal's PictureBox has launched a streaming movies-on-demand service for Internet connected devices, the PictureBox Player, into the U.K. and Irish markets. The new service offers about 28 films at any one time for on demand viewing with Samsung Internet connected TVs, iPads and PCs in those markets.
"The launch of PictureBox Player in the U.K. and Ireland is a major step in the evolution of the PictureBox brand, and now provides consumers the convenience of multiple screen access," said Belinda Menendez, president of NBCUniversal International Television Distribution in a statement.
Launched in 2006, the PictureBox movies-on-demand service currently operates on multiple platforms in the U.K., including BT Vision, Virgin Media, Top Up TV and TalkTalk, and is wholly owned by NBCUniversal's Universal Pictures Ltd.
The new PictureBox Player relies on technology developed by SyncTV Corporation, which provides a cloud-based infrastructure for the delivery of premium video services over the Internet.
Subscribers to the PictureBox Player streaming service will be able to access content on multiple connected devices through a single subscription. It will have the same content--28 current and library feature films from NBCUniversal and other content suppliers--as the original PictureBox service, which will continue to be available through its traditional television platform partners.
Films currently available include Mamma Mia!, Charlie Wilson's War, Pride & Prejudice and The Tale of Despereaux. Many of the films become available on the service prior to their free-to-air TV window.
