14 DAY TRIAL // According to the latest news on the Web, Sony Ericsson mobile phone users in Asia will be able to download games and DRM-free music, as well as full-length movies or TV series onto their devices from select stores via a dedicated download kiosk, starting this month.
Sony Ericsson launched the new service as part of a content licensing partnership with Sony Pictures Entertainment, the studio behind “Hancock,” Will Smith's blockbuster, and the James Bond film “Quantum of Solace.” According to the company, over 23,000 DRM-free songs will be made available for download through the new service, along with 30 movie titles, four TV series, and 25 games at launch.
The manufacturer also announced that it planned to add eight new games to the offering every month, while also looking forward to expanding its library with its PlayNow services, which include the PlayNow plus. The latter was announced on the 24th of September last year, and came as a buffet-style music download service that was first released commercially in the fourth quarter of 2008 by the Telenor operator in Sweden.
Users willing to benefit from the service will have to acquire a stored value smart card from Sony Ericsson stores, connect their phone to the kiosk, and then cycle around the available content on a touchscreen panel to see what could be worth downloading onto their handsets.
Sony Ericsson announced that movies available on the same day as the local DVD release would be priced at $18.40 per title. Users would have to pay $2.20 for each TV series episode and music track. At the same time, song albums would be available for purchase starting at $14.72, while compilations of 50 pre-selected tunes would cost $7.36. Users who want to download games will find them at prices starting at $3.68 per title.
The company also stated that the launch of the download kiosks would be implemented in phases. Over 80 stores in Indonesia, Malaysia, and Singapore will be included in the first wave.