Disney Says Let It Go to Apple and Googles Rivalry

frozen let it goDisney has managed to convince Apple and Google to set aside their professional rivalry in order to share rights to the media giants digital content.

Consumers who buy a Disney movie from either the Apple iTunes Store or the Google Play Store will be able to watch it on smartphones, tablets and other digital devices, no matter the operating system.

Beginning with recent Disney hit Frozen, customers who register with the Disney Movies Anywhere app will be able to purchase a copy of the movie on an Android tablet then later watch it on an iPhone through their iTunes library, for example.

Apple and Google have historically restricted digital content to their own device ecosystems, in an effort to force consumers into loyalty to one hardware company. Content producers including major Hollywood studios have argued this slows adoption of digital media, as consumers are wary of losing their film library if they buy a different device.

Disney had already secured Apple into a deal to work with its own cloud storage locker system in February, but adding Google to the proposition represents an unprecedented level of co-operation between the two companies.

“This is about getting people comfortable with building their digital movies collection,” said Jamie Voris, chief technology officer at Walt Disney Studios in a statement to the Wall Street Journal. “Disney is going to protect them and make sure they can watch their movies wherever they want to.”