CALIFORNIA: T-Mobile and Sony Pictures Digital have announced an agreement for Sony Pictures Digital to deliver mobile entertainment and games services over t-zones, T-Mobile's consumer portal.
The deal with T-Mobile is Sony Pictures Digital's first global content partnership with a mobile operator and, covering Europe and the United States, is the largest mobile content deal undertaken by T-Mobile. The deal will enable users to download movie-related content including movie clips, screensavers, MMS pictures, theme tune polyphonic ring-tones, movie trailers and specially created Java games.
Nikesh Arora who is a member of the management board of T-Mobile International, responsible for data products and new business explains the strategy, "The mobile phone has become the window to an enhanced lifestyle. Entertainment will be one of the key drivers in taking data services to the mass market. T-Mobile has continuously believed in m-fun and the endorsement of large entertainment brands will only serve to accelerate the making of a new mobile market. With the movie industry worth in excess of $40bn dollars annually, content from movies will be a major feature in t-zones."
Targeted at the download-savvy, m-generation (18 - 24 year olds), this Sony Pictures Digital content will provide a compelling user experience and drive the take-up of MMS handsets. Focused on delivering must-have content from new movies, mobile users will have wallpapers, screensavers and ringtones available for download from euro 1.49.
In addition, Sony Pictures Digital will be delivering Java games based on movies and TV shows with over 12 games to be made available on t-games including Stuart Little 2 and XXX, as well as titles from Sony Pictures Entertainment's game show library including Wheel of Fortune and JEOPARDY! The deal provides significant potential revenue stream for T-Mobile and Sony Pictures Digital with downloadable games priced between euro 1.49 to euro 2.99.
The Sony Pictures Digital offering on t-zones will also include the ability to enter competitions for chances to win exclusive prizes including merchandise. This deal complements a series of content partnerships announced by T-Mobile, boasting 23 entertainment brands. This combination of content offerings, confirms T-Mobile's leadership in the mobile data industry providing powerful content to some 10 million users. T-Mobile has six user-friendly channels of which three are dedicated to entertainment.
