Blu-ray connects to iPhones on Universal titles

PHYSICAL: Public Enemies, Inglourious Basterds will feature mobile-connected features

By Susanne Ault -- Video Business, 11/10/2009

NOV. 10 | PHYSICAL: Universal Studios Home Entertainment is extending iPhone interactivity to many of its upcoming high-profile Blu-ray Disc releases through 2009, including Bruno, Public Enemies, 9 and Inglourious Basterds.

Dubbed Pocket Blu, Universal’s technology will let people navigate their BD Live player menus and other functions with their iPhones. Also people will be able to view exclusive extras from the iPhone-enhanced titles, also including Funny People and American Pie Presents: The Book of Love.

Handsets also can be used to access different starting points within the movies running on Blu-ray players, and people can use iPhones to enter data for such Blu-ray interactivity as messaging and commenting more easily than with remote controls.

Pocket Blu titles will be regularly detailed on users’ iPhones, through free previews and bonus content.

Universal was one of the earliest studio pioneers to ring in iPhones to Blu-ray titles, starting with July 28 release Fast & Furious.

Book of Love, debuting Dec. 22, will introduce social-networking for Universal Blu-ray titles. People will be able to update their Facebook and Twitter accounts, among other activities, through their Web-connected Blu-ray players, studio Web site www.universalhidef.com or within the Pocket Blu app on their iPhones.

To enjoy Pocket Blu on the Universal titles, people can download it for free at iTunes. Pocket Blu also can be used on Apple’s iTouch.

Bruno streets Nov. 17; Funny People, Nov. 24; Public Enemies, Dec. 8; Inglourious Basterds, Dec. 15; and 9, Dec. 29.

Separately, Funny People will usher in a fresh design for Universal’s BD Live Web interface, which the studio says improves ease of use. People will be able to view many Web features without going through a registration process.

“These new features represent the latest step in Universal’s continuing effort to deliver an extraordinary home entertainment experience to consumers,” said Craig Kornblau, president of Universal. “By bridging Blu-ray’s vast capabilities with the Internet, iPhone, iPod Touch and some of the hugely popular social-networking platforms, we are effectively taking the Blu-ray experience to the next level, offering consumers the opportunity to easily integrate their favorite films into those activities and devices that have become part of their everyday lifestyle.”