Sony introduced the same over-the-top movie rental service it introduced in the U.S. in April in five European countries.
Sony has renamed the video on demand (VOD) service Qriocity. The streaming service works with Sony Blu-Ray players or directly through certain new models of the company’s Bravia TV line.
Sony Online Services plans to eventually offer a variety of content, including video, music, games, and e-books.
Sony is extending Qriocity to France, Germany, Italy, Spain and the U.K.
VOD films are from 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment, Lionsgate, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios Inc. (MGM), NBC Universal International Television Distribution, Paramount Pictures, Sony Pictures Home Entertainment, The Walt Disney Company, and Warner Bros.
Sony also announced plans to introduce “Music Unlimited powered by Qriocity”, music service to be competitive with Apple’s iTunes. The music service will be accessible through Sony’s 2010 models of network-enabled Bravia TVs, Blu-ray Disc players, Blu-ray Home Theater systems, as well as PlayStation3s, Vaio PCs and eventually on Sony portable devices. The company said details of how the service will work and pricing will be announced later.