Quickflix arrives on Xbox ... now how about some decent content, guys?

UPDATE April 30: Quickflix has signed a deal with Microsoft that will allow Xbox 360 owners to directly access its online movie streaming service, which costs from $9.99 a month.

LATEST: Quickflix NZ releases movie streaming app for iPhone, iPad; makes Android promise

Xbox 360 owners are required to have a Live Gold Pass, which costs from $5 a month.

Quickflix already has a similar agreement in place wiith Sony for its PlayStation3, and some new Bravia TVs.

The Australian-based service says it's also negotiating with TV makers including Panasonic and Samsung to directly support its service.

The set-top box-free, multiplatform approach is commendable. Now, if only Quickbox's NZ service could source some decent content ...

Quckflix signs another 'kinda' content deal, this time with ITV

UPDATE April 5: QuickFlix said today it had signed a content deal with UK broadcaster ITV.

As with its BBC deal, it seems centred on back-catalogue shows.

It's not a bad line-up in that regard, featuring Cold Feet, Prime Suspect, Hornblower and Brideshead Revisited.

But don't look for any contemporary ITV fare like Downton Abbey, or the mainstay Coronation Street - Sky TV and TVNZ have got the online/offline broadcast rights sewn up.

Quickflix boss bemoans lack of content from investor HBO

March 29, 2pm: NBR put it to Chris Taylor, the chief executive of QuickFlix, that it seems odd his company launched in NZ today without any HBO shows.

After all, HBO invested $A10 million in the Australian-founded online video streaming and disc rental service (which has a market cap of $A63 million, according to S&P's Capital IQ).

"Yes, it does, doesn't it," said Mr Taylor.

The answer is simple: "Sky TV's got them wrapped up." The dominant pay TV broadcaster has broadcast and online rights to HBO's juicy line-up for NZ.

The former Prime TV boss pointed out that QuickFlix NZ does feature BBC TV shows (though a lot is back-catalogue, think lots of Fawlty Towers).

Content is already online from Sony Pictures, NBC Universal and MGM, Mr Taylor said, with negotiations taking place with Warner Bros.

QuickFlix will get a full pick from the studio's new releases, but it does stand inline behind pay TV (that is, Sky TV and soon the Sky TV-TVNZ joint venture igloo), he said.

The QuickFlix boss declined to say how many customers his service was aiming for, or any financials related to its NZ operation.

His company is talking to all ISPs about unmetering QuickFlix content. So far two - Orcon and Slingshot - have come on board.

QuickFlix launched in Australia four years ago, renting DVDs and Blu-ray discs online.

It chose not to offers discs in NZ because the market is moving to digital, and there is already an incumbent - Fatso (owned by Sky TV).

Perhaps the most disappointing aspect, though, is Quickflix's failure to talk to local content producers.

As the former GM of Prime, Mr Taylor is well aware that South Pacific Pictures makes the lion's share of local content (think Shortland Street, Outrageous Fortune, The Almighty Johnsons, Trivial Pursuit and Go Girls, and films including Sione’s Wedding, Once Were Warriors and Whale Rider).

SPP boss John Barnett recently told NBR he'd love his company's content to online, but he faced commercial challenges and complications with placing its movies and huge TV back-catalogue on iTunes.

Mr Taylor said he knew Mr Barnett.

But so far, they haven't talked.

He said they plan too.

If he wants QuickFlix to have any hope of standing out from the lame commercial download pack, and succeeding, he should make it a date.

Quickflix boss bemoans lack of content from investor HBO

March 29, 9am: QuickFlix (sounds a bit accidentally-on-purpose-like Netflix) launched in New Zealand today.

It's offering streamed movies and TV shows for $16.99 a month, and new release titles on pay-per-view for $6.99 (the company already has an Australian service running - listed on the ASX - which also offers DVD and Blu-Ray discs - apparently not an option on this isde of the ditch. HBO is listed as an investor, which begs the question: Where are all the juicy, new release HBO TV shows like you get on iTunes US???)

Any new development in online content should be welcomed - especially one aping the Netflix all-you-can-eat for a set monthly price model.

But it's disheartening that QuickFlix, like iTunes NZ and other commerical download services here, has a so-so to slim selection of new-release moves, and a tiny selection of old TV series (compare and contrast to Netflix in the US, oir to  iTunes US, where you can download a motherload of new release movies, plus episodes of current TV series like Game of Thrones, Glee, Man Men, CSI everything and so on).

And good on Orcon for zero-rating QuickFlix. Hopefully, other ISPs will follow [UPDATE: Slingshot has also unmetered Quickflix].

But until they do, most internet users will have to effectively pay twice for a movie as each film downloaded eats away at they monthly data cap.

Don't hold your breath for Telecom - which holds around 50% of the market and is a partner of Sky TV and its iSky download service - to unmeter QuickFlix.

Sony is supporting QuickFlix through internet-capable TVs in its Bravia range, and the PlayStation 3. QuickFlix says Panasonic and Samsung will soon support the service through new TVs, and Samsung through its Galaxy Tablets.

That will help.

Right now, it seems to be a case of watching QuickFlix content on your Mac or PC - or making your own arrangements to stream it to your TV - that's not a user-friendly arrangement compared to the $159 Apple TV, which seamlessly beams iTunes TV and movie content to your television. Apple staff have told me they make no moral judgments about piracy. Rather, they're trying to compete by offering the most convenient service. Apple TV, by making it easy to watch internet content on a regular TV, is a big part of that.

But really it's all about content. 

And so far, none of the NZ contenders have got enough to tear people away from ye old video store or a DVD rental service like Fatso, or legal alternatives like VPN tunneling to the likes of Netflix in the US, or taking an iTunes US account from NZ.

This morning, ICT Minister Amy Adams put out a statement in support of QuickFlix, saying

“The government is playing an important role in the roll-out of faster broadband but we can’t, and shouldn’t, be dictating how use evolves.

“Having Quickflix enter the market means customers will have access to content that suits them on demand. It offers services in a more flexible way than traditional subscription and free-to-air broadcasters we are familiar with."

But QuickFlix has the same problem as other new media contenders, however: old media companies Sky TV and TVNZ have online rights to most shows and new release movies locked up. Ms Adams has said she sees no reason for regulation in this area.