If at first you don’t succeed, try, try again. Redbox seems to have taken note of the saying, given its reported interest in launching another video streaming service less than two years after Redbox Instant, its joint attempt with Verizon, folded. The company is said to be working on a successor called Redbox Digital, and it’s now officially in its testing phase.
“We are testing a potential new transactional digital VOD and EST offering, with a small subset of our customers, designed to complement our core kiosk rental business,” a company spokesperson told Variety via email. “As we test and learn from our customers, we will make evaluations that determine any future course of action.”
There’s now a new iPad app that lets you view this kind of content on your Apple tablet, and Redbox has updated its official terms of service, clarifying territorial and other usage restrictions for digital services. So, yeah, things are getting serious.
With Redbox’s revenue down over both last quarter and 2015 overall, the company has no doubt seen the writing on the wall when it comes to the hard-copy format. But according to the report, its approach to streaming this time around will be different; rather than offering subscriptions like Netflix and Hulu, Redbox Digital will offer on-demand videos for rentals or digital purchase, similar to iTunes, Vudu, Google Play, and others. Content will reportedly be viewable using connected devices like Chromecast and Roku, and customers will also be able to earn points with their rentals and purchases, just as they do with the existing loyalty program.
“Redbox continually looks for ways to enhance our customer experience,” wrote a company spokesman in a statement to Variety back in March. “For tens of millions of consumers, Redbox is their source for new release rentals without a subscription. As such, we regularly conduct tests of potential new offerings, that may or may not be brought to market, as part of our ongoing commitment to provide additional value.”
Of course, Redbox may still be scarred by its ill-fated Redbox Instant. The venture was plagued with multiple problems, including credit card fraud and a relatively small content library compared to its competitors. Additionally, its rivals had gotten a head start in creating original content, which has only increased in the last two years.
Redbox Digital may have chosen a better niche for itself this time around, but it still faces formidable competition. We’ll have to wait and see whether the second time is the charm.
Updated on 07-22-2016 by Lulu Chang: Redbox Digital enters testing phase
Instagram is making its way to yet another screen, and this time, Apple TV is getting a taste of the Reels rabbit hole. The company has launched a dedicated Instagram app for Apple TV, bringing Reels, longer videos, and live shows to the big screen. So, if watching one quick clip on a phone somehow turns into an hour of scrolling, there's now a much larger screen for that.
Instagram brings Reels and more to Apple TV
Audio-Technica, a brand well known for making some of the best studio and professional headphones on the market, has just come out with the ATH-AWX7000, which the company itself claims to be its "finest headphones ever." The new flagship closed-back headphone has debuted at an eye-watering price of $3,799. It combines hand-finished Japanese woodwork with a newly developed 58mm driver.
The earcups are made from Kiso cypress, a prized wood historically used for Shinto shrines and Buddhist temples. Each housing is finished by hand with traditional Echizen lacquer, which brings out the grain and is expected to darken over time. The frame and sliders are finished in a deep navy kachi-iro shade traditionally associated with samurai.
This post is brought to you in paid partnership with Best Buy.
Technology evolves every day, transforming how we live and work. Our devices are becoming more than tools we use. They are increasingly capable companions that help streamline day-to-day routines and spark creative ideas. If you have been waiting for the right moment to upgrade your tech setup, the Discover Samsung Shopping Event offers an opportunity to explore what connected, AI-powered living can look like.