UltraViolet Digital Movie Locker Service Will Close on July 31, 2019

[MacRumors]

Cloud movie locker service UltraViolet will officially shut down on July 31, 2019. The Digital Entertainment Content Ecosystem (DECE) announced the closure late last night, and will begin informing users of the service's end throughout today (via Variety).

Image via DECE/Variety​

Between January 31 and July 31, 2019, users will be able to keep accessing their UltraViolet Library, purchase new movies, and redeem digital codes. After the shutdown date, all UltraViolet Libraries will automatically close, but the company has detailed a way that users will be able to continue accessing their content.

To do this, UltraViolet is advising users to log into their accounts and verify that they have another retailer linked to their UltraViolet Library, which will allow them to watch their movies and TV shows on another platform after July 31. Retailers include Fandango Now, VUDU, Kaleidescape, Paramount Movies, and Verizon Fios.

The company implores that users do not unlink or close their UltraViolet Library, because UltraViolet and other retailers will continue working together to "maximize your continued access to movies and TV shows" after the shutdown. The company says that "in the majority of cases," movies and TV shows will remain accessible at previously-linked retailers after July 31.

Users will also be able to continue to make online purchases and redeem digital codes, but these will only be available through other retailers and will not be added to an UltraViolet Library.

DECE president Wendy Aylsworth told Variety in an exclusive interview this week that the decision to discontinue Ultraviolet was a response to the evolution of the market for online entertainment. "The marketplace for collecting entertainment content was very small when Ultraviolet started," she said. "It was siloed into walled gardens at the time."

UltraViolet first launched in 2011 and allowed customers to redeem digital versions of films found in their physical Blu-ray packaging. As of today, UltraViolet has more than 30 million users who have stored more than 300 million movies and TV shows in their cloud libraries.

UltraViolet had support of every major Hollywood studio except Disney, and when Disney expanded Movies Anywhere to other retailers in late 2017, some companies associated with UltraViolet switched over to Movies Anywhere. In 2018, 20th Century Fox, Universal Pictures, and Lionsgate stopped distributing their new releases with UltraViolet support in favor of Movies Anywhere.

However, according to DECE president Wendy Aylsworth, the decision to end UltraViolet "doesn't really have anything to do with Movies Anywhere." Ultimately, the future of the entire DECE has yet to be decided, but VUDU vice president Scott Blanksteen ensured users that they will be able to continue to access VUDU as normal even after UltraViolet's shutdown, because VUDU "will not be impacted by the discontinuation of the UltraViolet platform."

Since its launch eight years ago, Apple never allowed direct iTunes support or sync with UltraViolet Libraries. When customers purchased Blu-rays or DVDs with digital codes, they would sometimes be given the option of choosing an iTunes-only digital code, or one from UltraViolet.

Article Link: UltraViolet Digital Movie Locker Service Will Close on July 31, 2019

 

[martyjmclean]

I just got the email, I forgot this thing even existed.

 

[dumastudetto]

This is why I keep everything in iTunes. It's guaranteed to basically exist forever.

 

[dominiongamma]

Makes the case why Apple eco system is superior with movie buying. Brand and trust matters

 

[BJMRamage]

can't see UltraViolet light...can't see UltraViolet movies.

I've only had a small handful there, mostly iTunes. any that were in UV mostly went to VUDU and now MoviesAnywhere.

 

[Darmok N Jalad]

This definitely shows the risks of ownership with streaming only options. Amazon Video now injects ads for their own content before you watch a movie/show. We’ve seen them do this even for content that we paid to rent or own. It all can change depending on licensing agreements and the costs of delivery. Even music streaming content comes and goes based on licensing and availability.

 

[Phatfishie]

This is why I keep everything in iTunes. It's guaranteed to basically exist forever.

Unfortunately nothing is forever. Once great companies can fall from grace and vice versa.

 

[coumerelli]

This is why I keep everything in iTunes. It's guaranteed to basically exist forever.

Well, I wouldn’t go that far, but I do think Apple is in it for the long haul. Or, wait, weren’t Apple supposed to be a dead company about 20 years ago? lol

 

[jezbd1997]

I never understood the push for this digital service, I was always reluctant even just buying a movie with this on the pack thinking it won't take long for it to go under...

 

[67952]

So is there no way to transfer our UltraViolet movies to our iTunes account?

 

[QuarterSwede]

This is why I still buy BluRays with digital codes we redeem in iTunes (if possible, usually is). Best of both worlds and if a service dies we still have the disc.

 

[anek007]

This is why I keep everything in iTunes. It's guaranteed to basically exist forever.

The ultraviolet downloads was free with Blu-ray Disc purchase. So the physical copy will last much longer. Digital downloads isn’t forever. Even big companies like nintendo will take your money and run. The Nintendo Wii shop is shut down. Bye bye digital download.

 

[Stu Hadley]

Well that will be interesting in UK. Basically every one has dropped support for them and that’s all that comes on DVD’s.

Be nice if they could agree for them to be transferred to Itunes or even Amazon, just so dont loose them.

 

[Smearbrick]

This is why I have no issue downloading the purchased movie files and stripping the DRM from them for my Plex server. Nothing lasts forever, as someone said. Definitely not in this case.

 

[BJMRamage]

So is there no way to transfer our UltraViolet movies to our iTunes account?

There is a way to get some...link UV to VUDU...link VUDU to MoviesAnywhere (MA)...link MoviesAnywhere to iTunes.
most studios have boarded the MA train. some (currently Paramount, MGM, Lionsgate, some other/smaller studios) are NOT onboard the MA train but many movies will port.

 

[GeneralChang]

Huh, feeling pretty good about the decision to redeem every UltraViolet movie I bought through iTunes instead (at least in my experience, they were both pretty much always options). And with Movies Anywhere they're all also in my Google Play movies too.

I love redundancy.

 

[centauratlas]

Unfortunately nothing is forever. Once great companies can fall from grace and vice versa.

I download ones (using iTunes) I think we might want to watch again to be sure. Those are usually the Disney/Pixar/Universal kid movies, plus maybe 10% of the so-called classics.

 

[tkukoc]

I love being able to login to the site to make sure my settings are ok... oh wait bad gateway error.. Wonderful!

 

[ItsNotaTumor]

I already merged my sony account to Vudu, then iTunes. So I have 30+ digital movies on both Vudu and iTunes, including those that did begin in the Ultraviolet service.

 

[Xtreem85]

These independent movie locker things are such garbage. I used to hate buying a Blu-ray only for it to not have an iTunes digital copy option and this trash instead. No wonder it’s shutting down. No one uses it.

 

[oneMadRssn]

This is why I keep everything in iTunes. It's guaranteed to basically exist forever.

No it's not. Tons of posts on this forum and on reddit about iTunes content going from 4k to HD to SD and back, disappearing and reappearing, confusion about special editions.

 

[match14]

From now on when I buy a movie on disc, the digital download flyer is going in the bin.

 

[oneMadRssn]

This is why I have no issue downloading the purchased movie files and stripping the DRM from them for my Plex server. Nothing lasts forever, as someone said. Definitely not in this case.

Seriously. Nothing is guaranteed, but nothing beats having all the files locally available on your own network.

 

[adamjackson]

You know media I own that still plays?

The Blu-Rays I bought and the films I digitized from said Blu-Ray disks that are on my Plex Server. I’m happy iTunes Music Store has been a thing since 2003 but every time a major service goes away, it reminds me that you don’t own anything digital. Best just to rent for $2 every time you want to watch it than pay $10 and hope it’ll still be playable in 20 years.

 

[JayMysterio]

To make matters worse in a sign of how one shouldn't trust these things. When I try to log in per the instructions to see what movies I have, the site crashes.