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Google buys video DRM company

Written by Andre Yoskowitz @ 06 Dec 2010 9:43 User comments (6)

Google buys video DRM company Google has purchased the video DRM company Widevine this week, saying GoogleTV and Android will benefit from the tech that allows video to be delivered securely over the Internet.
Widevine calls itself "a content delivery optimization and security company."

YouTube will likely be the top user of the technology, as Google needs to convince distribution partners that their content is available securely, and in good quality, on a variety of platforms.

Google says of the acquisition:
The Widevine team has worked to provide a better video delivery experience for businesses of all kinds: from the studios that create your favorite shows and movies, to the cable systems and channels that broadcast them online and on TV, to the hardware manufacturers that let you watch that content on a variety of devices. By forging partnerships across the entire ecosystem, Widevine has made on demand services more efficient and secure for media companies, and ultimately more available and convenient for users.




Widevine claims AT&T, Netflix, Blocbuster, NBCU, Samsung, Best Buy, DISH, LoveFilm and VUDU as customers.

All customers will have their current agreements kept in place, adds Google.

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6 user comments

16.12.2010 22:44

bout time. Seems that is the only thing missing on googles platforms to take on the videos demands

27.12.2010 03:26

DRM sucks...they always push it on us as a way to protect rentals, and soon everything they sell you has DRM and won't work without an internet connection. Just look at the google app store; the DRM is so overbearing that you can't even download most free apps if you root your phone with most well-cooked roms.

37.12.2010 14:13

You've got to be freaking kidding me!!!!

47.12.2010 14:29

You've got to be freaking kidding me!!!!
[Edit Sorry for double Post Posting System Glitched out]

This message has been edited since its posting. Latest edit was made on 07 Dec 2010 @ 2:29

57.12.2010 18:57

i guess Google's got the money to blow. i'm sure your DRM wont hurt the 10% of people that know how to break it/get around it. On The Fly DRM is pretty useless anyway.

67.12.2010 21:50

I think that google have been pushing this way for a while, im pretty sure they got another similar company last year.

Personally as every form of streamed drm including rtmp, rtmpe, nice one adobe ;) has been cracked its likely that google was going to take a stab at the market somewhere down the line and with a browser under their belt, a small army of droids ready to receive and google tv set to be a good thing...

Yeah DXR Right but im pretty sure if google came up with a product that just worked better than rtmpe protection waves of companies would seriously consider moving over (and that wouldnt be hard to do).

If google had any sense, they would take the pretty old and half dead proverbial drm dog out and shot it for good.

Go on google dont give us DRM, whats that mantra.. dont be evil :)

And killer, ive not rooted and wasnt aware that was a problem, but ive seen lots of ermmm apk packs online so i guess you can install manually without the app store.

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