Walmart is looking to enhance its streaming video bouquet by entering the subscription-video business according to sources in the US.
According to unnamed people close to relevant parties speaking to Variety, the big-box giant will launch the service via its existing Vudu digital-entertainment division, sometime in the fourth quarter.
It will be a low-cost SVOD service, with a price point hovering around $8 per hour, according to the sources. It would include existing TV shows and films, along with original productions.
Walmart acquired Vudu in 2010 and has run a transactional video service ever since. It offers 150,000 titles to buy or rent.
In October 2016, Vudu introduced the Movies on Us service offering thousands of film and TV titles to watch for free and on-demand, with limited commercials. At launch, customers who logged on to Vudu from their browsers, mobile or living room devices could watch a variety of titles, including Mad Max, True Grit, Abduction and School of Rock.