YouTube in movie rental move

Fresh from inking its first ever sports rights deal, online video-sharing platform YouTube has unveiled plans to launch a movie rental service.

It has launched a service to allow US consumers to rent movies showing at the upcoming Sundance Film Festival. The movies will be available to download, for a 48-hour period, for US$3.99 (€2.81). YouTube owner Google announced the news on its website, without specifying whether the initiative would spread beyond the US. YouTube has increasingly moved away from short form to long form content. Earlier this week it inked an international sports rights deal for IPL cricket.