Movies In The Cloud Locker

UltraViolet – a project that could change the future of movie purchasing – could have its influence on the future of music purchasing as well.

A group of media and electronics companies are expected to roll out UltraViolet by the end of the year.

The system would recognize the purchase of DVDs or Blu-ray discs, and the purchased movies could then be streamed, via mobile device, TV or any other device, for no additional cost.

The open standard is backed by movie studios and Microsoft, and poses a challenge to proprietary formats – notably Apple’s protocol.

Backers hope the service will jumpstart digital-movie purchases, currently 4 percent of overall sales.

If UltraViolet’s “digital locker” is successful, it may impress the recording industry, which has famously struggled with its own concerns about digital downloading.