YouTube is one of the most popular destinations online and has even replaced the television for some users. Google knew the business potential of YouTube when they bought it for $1.65 billion back in 2006. Still, they haven’t really maximized that potential yet, currently relying on online advertisements as its main monetization.
Now, Google seems to be keen on diversifying its offerings from video clips to whole movies. The company is reported to be in talks with major movie studios about the possibility of renting movies via video streaming.
There are several other web services that have made online video rental available such as Apple’s iTunes, Netflix and Amazon. Google intends to charge $3.99 for the rental. This is quite the shift since YouTube has always provided its service for free.
Among the studios approached by Google are Lions Gate Entertainment, Sony Pictures, and Warner Brothers.
