The Financial Times reports that Google's YouTube is in negotiations with leading movie studios to launch a global pay-per-view video service by the end of the year.
According to sources, Google has been pitching to studios about the international appeal of a streaming, on-demand movie service tied to the world's most popular search engine and YouTube. Google will use its search technology and YouTube to direct viewers to the new service, which is likely to launch first in the US, with other countries added over time, sources said. Viewers will stream rather than download films and pay about USD5 for newer titles.
In more news of Google, the Wall Street Journal reports that the internet giant has acquired start-up Angstro, part of its efforts to build a robust social networking service. The financial terms of the deal were not disclosed. In a post on Angstro's website, company founder Rohit Khare said he would continue Angstro's mission, which is to sort information about individuals found on the web, in his new role at Google. The post said Angstro's products included apps to discover new photos on Facebook, improve Caller ID by using LinkedIn profiles and create a real-time social-address book.
According to sources, Google has been pitching to studios about the international appeal of a streaming, on-demand movie service tied to the world's most popular search engine and YouTube. Google will use its search technology and YouTube to direct viewers to the new service, which is likely to launch first in the US, with other countries added over time, sources said. Viewers will stream rather than download films and pay about USD5 for newer titles.
In more news of Google, the Wall Street Journal reports that the internet giant has acquired start-up Angstro, part of its efforts to build a robust social networking service. The financial terms of the deal were not disclosed. In a post on Angstro's website, company founder Rohit Khare said he would continue Angstro's mission, which is to sort information about individuals found on the web, in his new role at Google. The post said Angstro's products included apps to discover new photos on Facebook, improve Caller ID by using LinkedIn profiles and create a real-time social-address book.
