Can Sony Qriocity really take on iTunes?

Thursday 02 September

Qriocity - can it see off iTunes, or is Sony too late?

Before Apple got close to announcing its latest changes to iTunes yesterday, Sony was already out of the blocks with its Qriocity service. Dodgy name aside (just think curiosity and you’ll be fine), the new package is bringing on-demand video to the UK “this autumn”.

The service has been available in the US since April and will allow punters to rent movies and TV shows from all the major Hollywood studios and “local networks” on web-enabled Bravia TVs and Sony Blu-ray players.

This certainly looks like a classier proposition than Apple TV right now. The latter might be cheap, but with just Fox and ABC on board, and no word on international tie-ups, Sony’s video streaming deal looks pretty tasty.

But it’s the promise of Music Unlimited for Qriocity, that’s perhaps more interesting. It will stream music from the cloud, a la Spotify, from November, serving up tunes to PCs, TVs and PS3s. Apple appears to have gone cold on the idea of music streaming, perhaps as there’s no money to be made. Sony will do well to challenge in the music arena, but its film offering could gazump Apple TV completely.

What do YOU think? Tell us now in the comments section.