MUMBAI: Microsoft Corp. and The Walt Disney Company yesterday announced a multi-year agreement to cooperate in several long-term digital media initiatives.
The two companies said that the aim of their initiatives will be to improve the quality, security and reach of digital content within the home and on Microsoft Windows XP-based personal computers, as well as on a growing number of home and portable entertainment devices.
As part of the agreement, Disney will license Microsoft Windows Media Digital Rights Management (DRM) technology. The two companies have identified three areas of joint focus that utilise effective rights management:
* The creation and secure delivery of compelling high-resolution digital content.
* The overall acceleration of digital content flow to consumers - over networks, on optical media and on devices.
* Ensuring the seamless flow of secure content between devices, whether in the home or on portable devices.
According to an official release, Disney has licensed Microsoft Windows Media DRM software on a non-exclusive basis to enable the seamless delivery of secured digital media over the next several years as per the agreement.
The agreement signifies Disney's innovative stance and continuing commitment to providing new digital media experiences for consumers, and Microsoft's role as a key technology provider for the entertainment industry.
The Walt Disney Company senior executive vice president and chief strategic officer Peter Murphy said, "Disney is dedicated to providing consumers with entertainment content on various platforms, and this agreement with Microsoft helps facilitate those new business initiatives. The continuing migration of content from analog to digital formats has exciting implications for both consumers and content owners, and we believe this agreement will accelerate this evolution and bring about a vibrant market for legitimate, high-quality entertainment delivered to new categories of end-user devices, such as personal media players and home media center PCs."
Windows Client Business at Microsoft senior vice president Will Poole added, "With technologies now available to bring new experiences to consumers, including high-quality digital movies through a range of secure delivery methods, the time is right for a significant cooperative effort such as this one between Microsoft and Disney to help guide the industry. Our shared goal is to ensure that consumers will have access to great content on many different devices including Windows XP Media Center PCs, high-definition TVs or Portable Media Center devices - without having to worry about compatibility issues. Together we aim to prove that the distribution and consumption of digital media can be done in ways that benefit everyone."
