Redbox Streaming Service Doesn't Cut It

Austin Carr reviews the new movie-streaming venture from Redbox and Verizon, and about the only positive thing he has to say is that it's still in beta and might get better. The rest of the review of Redbox Instant is on the savage side, with Carr making the case at Fast Company that it makes no sense to pick it over competitors such as Netflix. It costs a modest $8 a month, but the selection is seriously limited—no TV shows?!—as is the number of devices on which movies can be streamed.

Company execs giver boilerplate answers about "brand equity" when asked to explain what differentiates Redbox Instant, but "brand equity" is probably not a big selling point for people who want to settle in with a good flick. And sure, subscribers can make use of the physical Redbox kiosks found in stores, but this is, after all, supposed to be a digital service. It "deserves time to grow," concludes Carr. "But as of now, I doubt if even shareholders of Verizon or Redbox's parent company Coinstar would want to use this service over Netflix or Amazon Prime." Click for Carr's full column. (More Redbox stories.)