In brief: Reports surfaced earlier this week that suggested Walmart was looking to break into the video streaming market. Now, new rumors seem to back that information up - anonymous sources claim Walmart's upcoming service will reportedly operate under the existing Vudu brand, with a $8/month price tag, and a free, ad-supported tier for low-income households.
Earlier this week, rumors began to surface that suggested Walmart is interested in entering the video streaming industry.
Though the market is already quite saturated, The Information reported that the retail giant's potential service would stand out by offering a free, ad-supported video streaming tier as well as a budget-friendly $8/month plan.
Furthermore, the company is said to be targeting customers "in the middle of America" rather than the East or West coast, which are market segments primarily dominated by Netflix and Amazon.
Now, further leaks obtained by Variety give us a bit more information about what Walmart might be planning. To start with, the report claims Walmart's upcoming service will launch under the Vudu brand.
If you've never heard of Vudu before, it's essentially a Walmart-owned version of iTunes or Amazon Video. Vudu lets you buy shows, movies, and other content for future on-demand viewing.
By expanding the service to offer a subscription-based plan, Walmart is apparently hoping to appeal to a broader audience without the headaches associated with building up a new brand from scratch.
Variety's report also claims that Walmart is planning to bring this streaming service to market sooner rather than later. Indeed, sources familiar with the matter claim a launch date as soon as Q4 2018 may be in the cards.
Of course, Walmart and Vudu haven't confirmed any of this information, so it may be best to take these reports with a grain of salt. Regardless, we'll likely know for sure what Walmarts plans are in the coming months.
Image courtesy CNET
