|
LoveFilm (stylised as LOVEFiLM) was a UK-based provider of DVD-by-mail and streaming video on demand in the UK and Germany. Acquired by Amazon.com in 2011, the service had reached 2 million subscribers. It also claims over 70,000 titles, and over 4 million DVD, Blu-ray or Games rentals per month in five countries. Through a series of acquisitions, LoveFilm quickly became the leading online DVD rental and streaming outlet in the UK and Europe. The company offered a download service alongside postal delivery but this ceased on 23 February 2009.〔(LoveFilm download service now offline ). Lovefilm.com.〕 The company has started a "watch online" service which offers over 4,700 films available to watch as part of a subscription. This online viewing is available free for subscribers who have opted for one of their unlimited monthly rental plans or the unlimited streaming-only account. In February 2014, Amazon announced that it would fold LoveFilm's streaming service into its Video service on 26 February 2014. LOVEFiLM's DVD rental service continues to be available in both Germany and the United Kingdom under the LOVEFiLM brand from Amazon's local websites. ==History== LoveFilm has grown due to 10 mergers, and the acquisition of several other on-line DVD rental companies - the three main ones being Online Rentals Limited (the original company), ScreenSelect and Video Island. In May 2002, Paul Gardner and Graham Bosher launched Online Rentals Limited (trading as DVDsOnTap), based in Harlow, Essex.〔(LOVEFiLM | CrunchBase Profile ). Crunchbase.com.〕 In September 2003, William Reeve and Alex Chesterman launched ScreenSelect, based in Acton in West London. And in the same month Redbus Group launched Video Island, based in Kings Cross in central London.〔LOVEFiLM History - Amazon to Acquire LOVEFiLM International Limited http://www.amazon.co.uk/ref=as_li_ss_tl?_encoding=UTF8&camp=1634&creative=19450&linkCode=ur2&tag=wikiped-21〕 In October 2003, Online Rentals Ltd was bought by Arts Alliance Ventures, a family-owned private equity firm. In December 2003, DVDsOnTap rebranded to LoveFilm, appointed Mark Livingstone as CEO, and relocated to much larger premises in the Spire Green Business Park in Harlow, Essex. ScreenSelect led what became a clutch of mergers across the UK DVD rental industry. In December 2003, this began with the acquisition of In-Movies. In September 2004, ScreenSelect followed up with the merger with Video Island, which combined ScreenSelect's management and brand with Video Island's venture capital. The year 2005 saw both LoveFilm and ScreenSelect grow rapidly as fierce rivals - with strong backers, these two firms leaped ahead of their rivals. LoveFilm reached 50,000 subscribers in December 2004, and shortly afterwards acquired the retail chain Choices' online business. By March 2005, it had reached 100,000 customers, and shipped almost 700,000 rentals. In June 2005, Video Island under the ScreenSelect brand acquired DVDs365 (owner of Mailbox Movies, MovieTrak and Qflicks〔(Screen Select merges with DVDs365 )〕) and a few months later LoveFilm acquired the tiny Webflix.〔(LoveFilm joins forces with Webflix )〕 Both rivals acquired a Scandinavian firm; ScreenSelect acquired BraFilm (a Swedish and Norwegian business), and LoveFilm acquired Boxman (operating in Sweden and Denmark). Simon Calver joined as the CEO of Video Island in July 2005. By 2006 Video Island/ScreenSelect had outgrown LoveFilm, with over 200,000 customers against LoveFilm's 100,000 users. In April 2006, led by Simon Calver LoveFilm and Screenselect merged using ScreenSelect's management and technology platform, but with the LoveFilm brand, and moved the headquarters to Acton - ScreenSelect's original base. By the end of 2006 the LOVEFiLM brand had replaced ScreenSelect, Brafilm and Boxman everywhere except Norway - which followed in 2008. In February 2008, LoveFilm acquired Amazon's DVD rental business in the UK and German markets, and in return Amazon became the largest shareholder of LoveFilm.〔(LOVEFiLM to Acquire Amazon’s European DVD Rental Business - Amazon to become largest shareholder of LoveFilm ). Lovefilm.co.uk (24 May 2010).〕〔(LoveFilm website ). Lovefilm.com (24 May 2010).〕〔Williams, Christopher. (5 February 2008) (Amazon buys into LoveFilm ). ''The Register''.〕 Besides Amazon and Arts Alliance Ventures, venture capital firms Balderton Capital, DFJ Esprit, Index Ventures and Octopus Ventures also had stakes in LoveFilm.〔(LoveFilm investors ). Lovefilm.com (25 May 2010).〕 In 2010, Lovefilm released their Playstation 3 online streaming service. On 20 January 2011 it was announced that Amazon, which previously owned 32% of LoveFilm, would take full control of the company in an acquisition deal worth a reported £200m.〔(Amazon To Buy UK Rental Firm Lovefilm ). News.sky.com (20 January 2011).〕〔(LoveFilm bought by Amazon ). Growing Business.〕 In September 2011, a LoveFilm app for the iPad was released to allow streaming films on iPad devices. The LoveFilm app was also released for the Xbox 360 in December 2011. On 30 May 2012, LoveFilm partnered with NBC Universal to bring Universal films to their service, and also announced that they would be bringing HD Streaming to their services. In October 2012, Amazon launched the Kindle Fire HD in the UK and Germany, which included Lovefilm integrated into the Amazon Videos application, much in the same way Amazon Video is integrated in the United States. Subsequent streaming application launches, including the Wii U in December 2012 and a revamped PS3 application in May 2013, demonstrated a markedly similar - and considerably improved on Lovefilm's previous offerings - UI design shared with Amazon Video. On 10 June 2013, LoveFilm announced that it would shut down its service in Scandinavia.〔(LoveFilm shuts down in Scandinavia )〕〔(Amazon’s LOVEFiLM Pulls Its Subscription DVD And Streaming Service Out Of Scandinavia )〕 Up until July 2013, LoveFilm offered a video game rental service to customers. In July 2013, it issued a statement letting both new and existing customers know that this service would no longer be offered beginning 8 August 2013. 〔http://www.lovefilm.com/help/dyn_faqs.html%3Ffaq_cat=games_queries&editorial_id=51326〕 On February 21 2014, it was announced that the LoveFilm video-on-demand service would be discontinued on February 26 2014 and folded into Amazon Video. The LoveFilm name will be maintained for the DVD rental business, although this service has been embedded into Amazon as well.〔(【引用サイトリンク】url=http://www.theguardian.com/technology/2014/feb/21/amazon-lovefilm-revamp-film-tv-rental )〕 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「LoveFilm」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
|