Amazon, the venerable online retailer best known for selling books, CDs, and DVDs, is said to begin offering downloadable films and television shows to Web users next month.

A source close to the offering confirmed rumors that Amazon Digital Video will allow users to download video either on a pay-per-view basis or by subscription, where a one-time fee is paid to view movies over a certain time period. (Source: news.com)

This news follows closely on the heels of last week's rumors that Apple is heading in the same direction.

Competing with Apple?

This is not the first time that news has surfaced in regards to media downloads being made available on Amazon. Last year, Amazon executives began designing a music download service, however, they resigned the project due to Apple's enormous share of the music-download market. (Source: news.com)

Although Apple has begun it's foray into the market of video downloads, in offering TV shows such as "Lost" and "Desperate Housewives", the online video market is much more open, and Amazon's executives hope to obtain their fair share. (Source: bit-tech.net)

Amazon: A Household Name

Amazon has become a trusted e-retailer over the past decade, and is recognized as a major player in the selling of music (CDs) online. Subsequently, their status may help pave the way for Amazon to become successful in the movie download market, using its brand name to entice customers into buying into the digital movie concept.