Sony plans to launch an online video download service next year, according to reports in both the Financial Times and The Wall Street Journal.The service has been developed by Sony Pictures Home Entertainment and will allow users to download movies via a computer and store them on MemoryStick memory cards for viewing on the PlayStation Portable (PSP) handheld game device, said the Financial Times. Sony Headquarters Amazon.com and existing movie download sites like Movielink and CinemaNow are in talks with Sony to use the service, which will launch in the first quarter of 2007, the newspaper reported in its online edition.Sony is also working on a service that would allow downloads directly to the PSP, said The Wall Street Journal’s online edition. Spokespeople for both Sony and Sony Computer Entertainment in Tokyo deferred requests for comment to the company’s U.S. offices, which were closed.Sony has already tried to expand the PlayStation Portable’s uses beyond gaming to movies. It began offering movies on the small discs used by the PSP, but sales have been low and the movies never caught on among many users. The PlayStation Portable was launched in late 2004 and initially enjoyed strong sales. By the end of March 2005, shipments had reached 3 million units and jumped to more than 14 million units in the year beginning April 2005. But things soon started going wrong for the new device and sales began dropping. In the current year, from April 2006 to March 2007, Sony initially expected sales to drop to 12 million units, but in October revised its forecast to 9 million units.The successful launch of a movie download service could help sales of PSP hardware and give Sony something to begin to challenge Apple Computer’s iTunes store, where iPod owners can download video clips, TV shows and some movies. Sony doesn’t offer a video version of its Walkman music player, leaving it unable to compete with Apple on the video front.-Martyn Williams, IDG News Service (Tokyo Bureau)Related Link: Sony Sure It Will Reach PlayStation 3 GoalsCheck out our CIO News Alerts and Tech Informer pages for more updated news coverage. Related content brandpost Sponsored by SAP Generative AI’s ‘show me the money’ moment We’re past the hype and slick gen AI sales pitches. Business leaders want results. By Julia White Nov 30, 2023 5 mins Artificial Intelligence brandpost Sponsored by Zscaler How customers capture real economic value with zero trust Unleashing economic value: Zscaler's Zero Trust Exchange transforms security architecture while cutting costs. By Zscaler Nov 30, 2023 4 mins Security brandpost Sponsored by SAP A cloud-based solution to rescue millions from energy poverty Aware of the correlation between energy and financial poverty, Savannah Energy is helping to generate clean, competitively priced electricity across Africa by integrating its old systems into one cloud-based platform. By Keith E. Greenberg, SAP Contributor Nov 30, 2023 5 mins Digital Transformation feature 8 change management questions every IT leader must answer Designed to speed adoption and achieve business outcomes, change management hasn’t historically been a strength of IT orgs. It’s time to flip that script by asking hard questions to hone change strategies. By Stephanie Overby Nov 30, 2023 10 mins Change Management IT Leadership Podcasts Videos Resources Events SUBSCRIBE TO OUR NEWSLETTER From our editors straight to your inbox Get started by entering your email address below. Please enter a valid email address Subscribe