By : Erik Gruenwedel | Posted: 16 Feb 2010
egruenwedel@questex.com

Blockbuster's drive toward a multi-platform movie rental/sellthrough business took a major step Feb. 16 when the Dallas-based service said T-Mobile USA would begin offering its content downloads on the new Windows-based HTC HD2 mobile phone beginning March 24.

T-Mobile, with more than 33 million customers in the U.S., is the exclusive wireless carrier for Taiwan-based HTC Corp.

The deal, which represents the first download mobile movie application for Blockbuster, will allow users to buy or rent new release movies playable on their phones without first accessing a personal computer or being a Blockbuster subscriber.

More importantly, owners of a HTC HD2 phone (which claims a 4.3-inch high-resolution touch screen) can stop and pause a movie download, and continue watching it on an Internet-connected television or Blu-ray Disc player that features Blockbuster On Demand.

Kevin Lewis, SVP of digital entertainment at Blockbuster, said the T-Mobile/HTC deal is akin to putting "Blockbuster in your pocket."
 

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