Sony's UMD format breaks through to the mainstream

DESPITE THE FACT that movies on Sony's proprietary UMD format for the PSP are costing more than their DVD counterparts, the format is becoming extremely popular with both the consumer and Hollywood, with the high-prices being a good thing as far as studio execs are concerned.

With ticket sales falling at the box office and the massive growth of the DVD finally slowing, the UMD format is proving itself, with two Sony releases selling 100,000 units each within two months - a feat that took the first Sony DVD nine months to achieve.

The picture clarity of the PSP's screen is something to be seen, and Sony proved the format by giving away UMD copies of Spider-Man 2 with most of its PSPs at launch in the US, firmly establishing the format in the minds of the consumer.

Now with major studios coming onboard and retailers moving the UMD discs onto the shop floors as opposed to being put away behind glass shelves, the format is breaking into the mainstream, according to a report in Newsweek.

The format is also allowing movie sales to move into new markets, with traditionally videogame online retailers such as GameSpot and EB Games stocking UMDs as standard.

The high unit costs of the format mean that it does not directly compete with DVDs, meaning that the consumer will pay through the nose and the situation is win-win for the studios. µ