GigaOM reports that Redbox Instant by Verizon, which is scheduled to go live sometime in December, has uploaded an "exhaustive" help section that reveals subscription prices and other details. The service will initially be available on the web, Android and iOS devices, the Xbox 360, and select TVs and Blu-ray players from Samsung.
According to the report, a streaming-only subscription will start at $6 per month for unlimited use of the service's video catalog. This virtual library is expected to be smaller than Netflix in the beginning, but will reportedly include more recent titles like Thor, Iron Man 2, Rango and more.
For those who also want DVD movies, Redbox Instant by Verizon will offer an $8 plan that throws in four additional Redbox credits that can be used at any Redbox kiosk installed on street corners, convenience store and drug store parking lots. Subscribers will actually be able to reserve DVDs from the Redbox Instant website or mobile app, but the DVD credits will not roll over into the next month if left unused.
In addition to the subscription service, Redbox Instant will also provide Video On Demand rentals and outright full-blown digital sales of newer titles. Rentals will start at $0.99, and both rentals and purchases can be downloaded to a number of devices for offline viewing. Siverlight will be the codec of choice for streaming the content over the Web.
The help section also reportedly hints to a possible launch date, as beta testers are being told that they won't have access to the DVDs until December 17. Adding to that, Verizon sent a notice to all customers earlier this month reporting that its own in-house video service – aptly named Verizon Video – would be shutting down on December 15, 2012. In its place will be Viewdini for 4G-capable phones, powered by tv.com (CBS).
"This will allow us to focus on bringing you the best video experience in wireless," the company said. "With more choices and even more content, we introduce VIEWDINI, a new video service for your 4G Android/Apple device. Whether you enjoy exploring the universe of video for hours or quickly find exactly what you are looking for, viewdini is FREE to download and use."
Viewdini (Google Play) is a free content discovery app that hooks into current paid and free content services, making it simple to search, browse, and access movies, TV shows, and free web video on mobile devices. 3rd-party content services currently include Crackle, Hulu Plus, Netflix, XFINITY and many others, but the Big Red will presumably reserve a special place in the discovery app for its upcoming Redbox Instant as another avenue of content.
As it stands now, Verizon has not made an official announcement regarding a set launch date, so stay tuned.
