Sony announces plans to bundle UMDs with DVDs

Sony Pictures has unveiled plans to bundle UMDs with DVDs and announced pricing for the Blu-Ray format, with new movie releases set to carry a wholesale price of less than USD 25.

From March 28th, PlayStation Portable owners will be able to purchase DVD-UMD bundles for movies The Grudge, Resident Evil, Underworld, Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon and The Terminator. April 25th will see the arrival of Ghostbusters, Mad Max, The Fifth Element and Snatch, and more bundles will follow in May.

The bundles will be priced at USD 28.95. This is a price point which is likely to appeal to consumers - in the States, new DVD releases generally sell for between USD 20-25, while UMD movies carry an RRP of USD 29.99.

Speaking to Reuters, Sony Pictures Home Entertainment president Benjamin Feingold said: "A lot of people have DVD players and also have PSPs, and this way for one price they can get one movie and play it back on both formats."

SPHE has also announced that Blu-Ray versions of older films will carry a wholesale price of USD 17.95, while new releases will be priced at USD 23.45. The company has declined to set an RRP, leaving retailers free to determine their own profit margins.

SPHE's UK subsidiary was unavailable to comment on whether similar plans are in the pipeline for Europe.