This morning, after launching Google Play Store on Android or on the web, we were being presented with a new terms of service pop-up to agree to. The new terms are for the official availability of Google Play Movies in Malaysia, which lets you rent and purchase movies. The red colored tab usually says “Movies & TV” but unfortunately for now, we’re only getting the Movies option.
All purchases are done via Google Wallet, the same way Android app purchases are handled.
Rental roughly ranges from RM10-13 in SD, or RM13-17 in HD. Movie purchases roughly ranges from RM29-57 in SD, or RM43-67 in HD. While you may think the prices are a bit too steep, they’re still generally cheaper than iTunes. SD seems to be in 480p, while HD is either 720p or 1080p, depending on your connection or your display resolution.
For a movie rental, once payment is made, the movie will only be available to stream for 30 days. The moment you hit play, you’ll have to finish watching it in 48 hours before it gets removed from your library.
For now, the movie choices seem sparse. There are only four titles under the ‘Documentary’ genre at the time of writing, and not all of the latest movies you could get on DVD are available here. This may soon change though; since Google Play Movies carries titles from movie studios like Warner Bros., 20th Century Fox, Disney, Sony, Paramount, and Universal.
Apparently there is not much censorship going on for Play Movies at this point, since it’s a US company after all, unlike iflix that is subjected to local laws.
You’d think that by purchasing movies, you can play it on any media player that could read the file. You’d be wrong. Unfortunately, legitimate movie downloads these days are still DRM-protected, including Google Play Movies.
However, being Google, it has made Play Movies one of the most convenient movie store on the market. On a computer, you can always access it anywhere via the web. There are also Android and iOS apps, though you can only purchase from the former. The mobile apps also allow offline caching, so that you can play your movies without an internet connection. Offline playback for Play Movies is also available on Chromebook, but who uses that thing anyway? And if you want to play your movies on the big screen TV, you can do so via Chromecast, though you might want to rent or purchase HD content to fully enjoy the experience.
The arrival of Google Play Movies follow Play Books that came here almost two years ago. We’re now waiting for Google Play TV (shows), Play Newsstand (magazines), and most importantly, Play Music. Because not only does Google Play Music let you purchase DRM-free music, you can also stream on-demand music à la Spotify (All Access) as well as upload your own MP3s into its cloud. Get on it, Google.
Thanks to our good friend Preet for the heads-up!
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