Tuesday, 14 August 2007

Google Shuts Down Video Sales, Rental Service

Google, the world’s largest search engine, is shutting down its premium video rental and sales service, which it launched with much fanfare last year. This move by Google means users who have bought or rented content will now be unable to view their videos in the future.

In a e-mail to users, Google said that money spent on videos would not be refunded and instead it has offered users fixed credit on the firm's online payment system, Google Checkout.

The move comes nine months after Google paid USD 1.65 billion for online video site You Tube, which also sells some video.

Google started selling video content on its video site offering programmes such as Survivor, CSI and Star Trek for about USD 1.99.

Google co-founder Larry Page launched the service at the Consumer Electronics Show, in Las Vegas, but the success of YouTube has made Google Video increasingly irrelevant.