Facebook Credits and Enhanced Interactive Functions: Future of Movie Watching

Facebook Credits and Enhanced Interactive Functions: Future of Movie Watching

 

With the recent announcement by Warner Bros. that they will use Facebook as a distribution channel, competitors are becoming concerned.  Netflix has seen a decline in their stock price (nearly $12/share today alone) and now Sony has made their own move by offering “on select digital movie purchase” features.  The BaltimoreSun reported that the Sony films available on Itunes will now allow users to use, “use (1) an “Enhanced Search” that jumps “to exact spots in the movie where [a] keyword appears; (2) a “Clip & Share” function that allows them “to choose among a selection of film clips that can be shared instantly on Facebook and Twitter“; and (3) an ‘Interactive Music Playlist” that connects them “to the exact scene where a song is featured in a film” and to “the iTunes Music Store for easy purchase of soundtrack albums and select songs.”

Facebook is getting a lot of attention for the recent Warner decision.  People will now be able to pay for the ability to watch movies using Facebook Credits.  These credits had previously been mostly used to pay for games.  Bloomberg reported, “Renting a movie through Facebook costs 30 Facebook Credits, or $3. Viewers have 48 hours to watch the films.”  For more information about how to purchase Facebook Credits click here.