A Bad Idea Rides Again
Mobile companies are throwing all sorts of mobile video offerings out there to see what sticks (though, mostly, it’s what doesn’t). The general idea is first to recognize that the mobile phone screen isn’t going to replace the television, and that the content people will want to view on their mobile device will be vastly different than what they watch on TV. Completely ignoring all this, Vodafone Germany said in January it would offer full-length movies to mobiles, and now, 3 Italy — our favorite carrier — says it too will offer full-length feature films on phones. For 9 euros, users will be able to watch a title as many times as they want for seven days. So 9 euros (about $10.85) to watch a two-hour movie on a tiny screen with poor sound… or go see it in the theater, or watch it on TV at home. Wonder which most people would go for. Oh well, it’s a pretty new movie (for Italy, anyway), so maybe the studios really are moving away from staggered releases.
