14 DAY TRIAL // Life is about to get better for iPod touch and iPhone users, as Universal Studios Home Entertainment is reportedly getting ready to announce that a series of touch-enabled iPhone and iPod features will be included within its upcoming Blu-ray Disc releases. Users should be able to tap into the upcoming functionality through companion applications that will become available from Apple’s App Store.
According to the news, the company plans on offering iPhone and iPod touch users the possibility to control interactive content on the Web-connected Blu-ray Disc players they own, and it will all start with the upcoming release of Blu-ray Disc Fast & Furious, expected to land on July 28. Other releases that the company plans for the ongoing year will also enable users to access bonus content available on their Blu-ray Disc and download it on their mobile devices.
Craig Kornblau, president of Universal Studios Home Entertainment and Universal Pictures Digital Platforms, commented that, “By harnessing Blu-ray technology and combining it with Apple’s highly acclaimed iPod touch and iPhone, we continue to raise the bar in delivering an array of unprecedented, user-friendly home entertainment experiences. Bridging these platforms further broadens the scope of the digital landscape by paving the way for innovative, new applications and interactive content enhancements that continue to uniquely engage consumers.”
Fast & Furious will come to the market in a two-disc, special edition Blu-ray Disc variant that will also boast a “Virtual Car Garage” bonus feature, which makes use of the BD Live technology. Customers will be enabled to connect their Blu-ray Disc players to the Web and access different features, in case the disc also comes with the BD Live capabilities.
Those who will access the Virtual Car Garage through their iPhone or iPod touch devices will have the opportunity to see the movie’s street racers and control 360-degree views of them. In addition, the special edition of the movie will also include a digital copy of the film aimed at portable devices, while the app will be available for free via Apple’s App Store.