Netflix rival Redbox Instant to be available on Roku this summer
Pressing its bid to cut into Netflix’s market share, Redbox’s streaming video service will soon be available to Roku users.
Redbox Instant by Verizon -- a joint venture by Coinstar Inc.’s Redbox and Verizon Communications Inc. that officially launched this year -- will be available on Roku’s set-top devices this summer, the companies said Thursday.
The companies are trying to expand the ways customers can access the service as more people watch movies and TV shows online rather than by buying or renting DVDs. Roku devices, such as Roku 3, let viewers watch streaming Web video on TV sets.
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“We’ve received overwhelming demand from our customers for Redbox Instant by Verizon on their Roku devices, and we’re pleased to be expanding the service this summer to meet that demand,” Shawn Strickland, CEO of Redbox Instant by Verizon, said in a statement.
Redbox is pushing its online streaming offerings as revenue growth from its 43,000 DVD rental kiosks slows.
The streaming market, dominated by Netflix and Hulu, is becoming increasingly crowded as Amazon expands Prime Instant.
About two-thirds of streaming-video watchers subscribe only to Netflix, according to NPD Group.
The Redbox streaming service is available through platforms including Xbox 360, Android and iOS mobile devices, and smart TVs.
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