The end of the road for Google Video

Google announced this week that it will be closing down its Google Video application, leaving thousands of disgruntled customers with paid-for content that they can no longer view.

Google’s announcement today could see the end for digital rights management (DRM) systems which allow users to pay for and download videos, but not to permanently unlock them, protecting the copyright of the video. The DRM system means that companies who use it get to contol where and when consumers use it. However because these videos can only be played on Google Video, this system of protecting video content viewing has back-fired, as now no-one can play the clips they have paid for. Google has said that it will offer a $2 (£1) credit for digital goods already paid for, however they have insisted that products must be purchased through services which use its own Google Checkout payment system, and must be claimed within 60 days. This has not appeased many of Google’s customers who have bought content that they haven’t even seen yet and now never will. Many took out subsrciptions to shows such as CSI and NBA basketball games, and are now furious that Google have pulled the plug.

This move comes following the resignation of the head of Google Video, prompting predictions that Google is moving towards amalgamation its Google Video application with the other video-sharing site it owns, YouTube. However analysts such as Jupiter Research believed that Google Video was never likely to succeed due to its incompatability with the major track players such as Apple’s iPod, and due to its haphazard selection of songs and prices. Other companies who use the DRM system such as Apple's iTunes Store, BitTorrent and Amazon Unbox, should be careful in order to avoid becoming the next DRM casualty.

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