Fox first to bring movie sideloading to Android
updated 03:45 pm EDT, Thu July 21, 2011
Fox to offer digital copies of movies this fall
Fox will become the first movie studio to bring movie downloads to Google's Android platform this October. The first movie will be X-Men: First Class, a digital copy of which Blu-ray disc buyers will be able to download and sideload onto their Android devices. The service will at first be available in the US, the UK, France and Germany.
Fox so far allows Windows Media and iTunes users to download digital copies with a purchase of a movie. The reason it took so long for the Android platform to get officially endorsed movies is its lack of copy and playback protection, an omission Google corrected by buying Widevine in December.
Fox started to bundle slow-selling DVD versions alongside Blu-ray movies as well as digital copies in 2009.
The movie studio is also working on smartphone and tablet apps for Android and Apple devices that are meant to be used while a movie is being watched on their TV. They could, for example, allow social networking, quizzes, actor biographies, or other interactive features.
