Marvel and Mouse

Disney, and as it turns out, everyone else in the visual entertainment industry has been working on a way for you to own the rights to view a product at any time on any device while never actually physically owning a hard copy.

You would own the right to watch, say... Toy Story any time you wanted. At home on your big screen or later that night on your iphone. The delivery would be cross platform and you need only enter your "rights" code.

No more getting your DVDs stolen or lost. No more upgrading when its released on this decades DVD player.

From the Wall Street Journal article by Ethan Smith:

"The technology, code-named Keychest, could contribute to a shift in what it means for a consumer to own a movie or a TV show, by redefining ownership as access rights, not physical possession.

The technology would allow consumers to pay a single price for permanent access to a movie or TV show across multiple digital platforms and devices—from the Web, to mobile gadgets like iPhones and cable services that allow on-demand viewing. It could also facilitate other services such as online movie subscriptions."

Still a few years away though. It seems Disney and another group have been moving toward the same idea. Click through for the whole article.