Back in January, Dish launched a revamped Blockbuster On Demand app for Samsung Smart TVs, Android, Roku 2 boxes, the PC, and Mac. But missing from that lineup was iOS.
That changed today with the launch of Blockbuster On Demand for iOS, available now in the App Store. Those with iPhones, iPod touches, and iPads running iOS 4.3 and above can now stream thousands of movies from Blockbuster's library of films.
"Easier than looking for a kiosk to rent DVDs, Blockbuster on Demand allows you to stream and watch movies in HD instantly on your favorite device," Blockbuster said. "There's no waiting for downloads, just instant streaming."
Movies are available on all devices that support the app. The iOS app also supports HD streaming.
Dish acquired Blockbuster in 2011 for $320 million, and there was talk of the company launching a Blockbuster streaming service to rival Netflix Watch Instantly. Last year, however, Dish abandoned those plans because it was not economically feasible. Instead, with Blockbuster On Demand, users purchase access on a per-movie basis rather than subscribing to a monthly, all-you-can-eat streaming access plan.
In January, Dish said it would be closing 300 Blockbuster stores, mainly those that were underperforming or coming close to the end of their lease. At the time, 500 stores remained, 26 of them located near Dish's headquarters in Colorado.
