Rich Fiscus
11 Aug 2007 8:09
Say goodby to buying and renting from Google Video. On Wednesday the DTO/DTR (download-to-own/download-to-rent) service operated by the search engine company will stop renting and selling videos.
They announced this to customers with a letter like the following, received by an actual customer:
As a valued Google user, we're contacting you with some
important information about the videos you've purchased or
rented from Google Video. In an effort to improve all Google
services, we will no longer offer the ability to buy or rent
videos for download from Google Video, ending the DTO/DTR
(download-to-own/rent) program. This change will be effective
August 15, 2007.
To fully account for the video purchases you made before July 18,
2007, we are providing you with a Google Checkout bonus for $2.00.
Your bonus expires in 60 days, and you can use it at the stores
listed here: http://www.google.com/checkout/signupwelcome.html.
The minimum purchase amount must be equal to or greater than your
bonus amount, before shipping and tax.
After August 15, 2007, you will no longer be able to view your
purchased or rented videos.
If you have further questions or requests, please do not hesitate
to contact us. Thank you for your continued support.
Sincerely,
The Google Video Team
"Both Google and YouTube are exploring a wide variety of ways to monetize online video content - from pilot testing AdSense for video syndication to trying various ad formats on YouTube - and the early results have been very encouraging," said Google spokesperson Gabriel Stricker. "Reaffirming our commitment to building out our ad-supported monetization models for video, we have decided to remove the DTO/DTR (download-to-own/download-to-rent) feature on Google Video."
If this story seems vaguely familiar, you may be thinking of the ill-fated and short lived Digital Video Express (aka Divx) format from the late 1990's which required a special player connected to a phone line to enable acquisition of a temporary license for playback. Discs could initially be played back for 48 hours after being put into a DivX player (a special DVD player). When Digital Video Express folded in 1999, after only a year of operation, anyone with Divx DVDs that hadn't been viewed yet was left with a Coaster.
Although Google's decision hasn't left any coasters to remind consumers of the money they wasted on the service, it will likely leave a bad taste in their mouths, and could affect the search giant's bottom line in future ventures.
Don't be surprised to see a class action lawsuit regarding Google's use of the word "own" in the coming months.
Source: The Register