[1]Sources tell Reuters that cable TV provider Comcast (CMCSA[2]) plans to get into the digital download and streaming business by the end of the year[3].
Comcast subscribers would be able to download Hollywood movies and TV shows through the company’s Xfinity TV website and set-top box and then watch them on mobile devices, TV’s or computers.
A range of popular titles, including vintage movies and new releases are expected to be available, including recent box office winners from Comcasts’ Universal Studios like Despicable Me 2 and Fast & Furious 6.
The move would mark a change for cable providers, which have long offered subscribers the option of viewing selected content “on demand,” putting Comcast in competition with traditional download services like Apple’s (AAPL[4]) iTunes and Amazon’s (AMZN[5]) Prime.
Verizon’s (VZ[6]) Fios subscription TV service already permits the downloading and streaming of titles for purchase and rental.
Shares of Comcast rose almost 1% in pre-market trading on Friday.