Update: Redbox now says the Apple TV app will be ready in the coming weeks. In a statement to BestAppleTV.com:
Redbox today officially launched its streaming video on-demand service. Originally known for its rental kiosks, Redbox has suffered from stagnant growth as streaming video has become many people’s go-to for consuming content. The new Redbox On Demand service is accessible via iOS and Apple TV…
You may remember that Rebox and Verizon jointly launched Redbox Instant a few years ago, but today’s Redbox On Demand Service is different. Whereas Redbox Instant was a subscription based platform, Redbox On Demand is more akin to the company’s kiosks in that you rent and purchase movies and TV shows individually.
Speaking to Variety, Redbox CEO Galen Smith said that Redbox On Demand is a “natural extension” to what the company has been doing for years.
Currently, Redbox has secured deals Warner Bros., Paramount Pictures, Lionsgate, Sony Pictures Entertainment, 20th Century Fox and Universal Pictures for Redbox On Demand. Notably missing is Disney, which is currently engaged in a legal battle with Redbox.
Movies start at $3.99 for 48-hour rentals, while purchases start at $9.99. TV shows and other library content starts at $1.99.
Rebox says it isn’t necessarily trying to compete with Apple’s iTunes here, but rather trying to give its current customers another medium for acquiring content:
Furthermore, Redbox is a firm believer that physical DVDs are not going anywhere and still has faith in its standalone kiosks:
You can currently access Redbox On Demand via Redbox’s website, iOS, Apple TV, Chromecast, Roku, and LG and Samsung smart TVs, though you have to rent and purchase via Redbox’s website and access it via the apps on those devices.
Will you be taking advantage of Redbox’s new On Demand service? Let us know down in the comments.
REDBOX LAUNCHES ON DEMAND SERVICE
December 13, 2017 Redbox Now Offers More Ways to Watch Movies and TV Shows— On Disc and On Demand
Redbox, America’s destination for new-release home entertainment, today rolled out Redbox® On Demand. The new On Demand service, now in public beta, complements Redbox’s new-release offering at kiosks by delivering a broader selection of movies and TV shows via transactional video on demand (VOD) and electronic sell-through (EST).
In addition to renting and purchasing at kiosks, Redbox customers now have the option to rent or purchase for streaming. Purchased content can be downloaded, perfect for offline, on-the-go watching. As consumers continue cutting the cord and abandoning costly cable subscriptions, On Demand offers an à-la-carte solution with the instant gratification that today’s consumers also crave.
“Redbox customers have asked, and today we’re delivering an On Demand option that offers them the best of both the physical and digital worlds,” said Galen Smith, CEO of Redbox. “Redbox provides our customers with choice – the value they want and expect from our kiosks, the instant gratification of On Demand rentals and purchases, and the availability of new-release content, all without monthly subscription fees.”
More than 35 million customers have downloaded the Redbox app and according to a recent Omnibus survey*, nearly half (48 percent) of all Americans find out what’s new in home entertainment from Redbox. The new On Demand service is available on the Redbox website, the Redbox app for Android and iOS-enabled devices, as well as Apple TV, Chromecast, LG and Samsung Smart TVs, and Roku®.
“We know consumers have a lot of choices when it comes to subscription streaming services, but no other brand is as closely associated with new-release movies as Redbox,” added Smith. “We’ve been America’s choice for new content for 15 years, and we’re excited to offer a new way to watch that provides greater choice within the Redbox ecosystem.”
Redbox On Demand offers many of the same new-release movies available at the Box, and also expands the library to include a growing collection of hit movies and TV shows for rental or purchase On Demand.
“The newest-release movies are not available in subscription streaming services,” said Ash Eldifrawi, Chief Marketing and Customer Experience Officer at Redbox. “Redbox’s stronghold on new releases has played a big factor in our ongoing relevance to consumers who crave the latest content.”
Pricing for new-release On Demand rentals start as low as $3.99 for 48-hour VOD rentals and $9.99 for EST transactions.
Averaging one million disc rentals a day, Redbox is the top transactional home entertainment provider in the U.S. for movie rentals – ahead of other digital rental providers, and all of the nation’s cable and satellite VOD distributors.** Redbox installed more than 1,700 net new rental kiosks in 2017, with more installations planned in 2018.
For more information about Redbox On Demand, visit Redbox.com.
*Redbox National Omnibus Survey, March 2017
**S&P Global Market Intelligence
About Redbox
With more than 5 billion rentals to date, Redbox is America’s leading source for affordable new release movie and video game rentals. Redbox offers DVD, Blu-ray Disc® and video-game rentals through the nation’s largest network of more than 41,500 conveniently located, self-service entertainment kiosks, and On Demand movies and TV shows, without a subscription. For more information, visit www.redbox.com.
