It’s been awhile since we’ve talked Vudu here on ZNF, so it’s time for a 2009 status update. The year started with a second round of layoffs, which came as no surprise given some of the funding chatter that came my way late in 2008. Not surprisingly, Vudu followed this by announcing a renewed focus on licensing the Vudu platform and permanently slashed prices on their standard box by 50% $150 is a much more compelling and competitive price point.
On the experiential end, Vudu now offers HD movie purchases in addition to rentals. In this day and age, however, I have no desire to own digital content. I’d rather rent on demand. Of interest, a pair of iPhone apps have been also released. The official app provides an efficient method to browse and rent HDX titles on the go - so they’re ready for playback when you get home. The Vudu iRemote, like the TiVo DVR iPhone remote, utilizes your home network and built-in Vudu automation hooks to provide touchscreen device navigation.
This week, version 2.2 of Vudu software was deployed to boxes, consisting of mostly minor enhancements and fixes. However, the next update is rumored to address some of Last100’s concerns by providing local network storage/archiving… and extender streaming functionality. Something many of will look forward to.
