Netflix Beats Apple in Online Movies

Netflix Inc. (Nasdaq: NFLX) made more revenues from online movie distribution than any other provider in 2011, according to IHS Inc. The firm says Netflix's market share jumped to 44 percent last year, followed by Apple Inc. (Nasdaq: AAPL), which held 32.3 percent of the market. Apple's market share has fallen fast; it was 60.8 percent in 2010. Rounding out the top five were Microsoft Corp. (Nasdaq: MSFT) (7.5 percent), VUDU Inc. (4.2 percent) and Sony Corp. (NYSE: SNE) (2.4 percent).

IHS says the online movie business doubled to $992 million in 2011, and could double again this year.

WaveDivision Holdings LLC CEO Steve Weed has teamed with Oak Hill Capital Partners and GI Partners to acquire WaveDivision from Sandler Capital Management and its other current owners for an undisclosed sum. Weed and Sandler Capital formed WaveDivision in 2003, and now operate cable systems passing more than 586,000 homes in parts of San Francisco, Sacramento, Seattle and Portland, Ore., under the Wave Broadband and Astound brands. They expect to close the deal by the fourth quarter. (See WOW & Wave Broadband Divvy Up Broadstripe .)

Comcast Corp. (Nasdaq: CMCSA, CMCSK) has added live TV streams from CNN and HLN to its Xfinity.com/tv Web video hub, a move that follows initial support for those authenticated streaming apps on the iPad. Elsewhere on the TV Everywhere front, Comcast now lets customers access the MAX GO service on the Cinemax website and via the premium programmer's app for iOS and select Android devices.

Verizon Wireless booted up viewdini, its video portal for tablets, smartphones and other mobile devices, on Friday (June 1), following its introduction at The Cable Show last month in Boston. Viewdini is kicking off with on-demand content from Comcast, Hulu LLC , mSpot and Netflix. Fare from Verizon FiOS TV is expected to join the viewdini menu soon. A search on viewdini lets users know which partners have the title available for streaming, and if it's offered for free, as part of a subscription, or for rent or purchase. (See Verizon's 'Viewdini' Unchains Comcast Video .)

— Jeff Baumgartner, Site Editor, Light Reading Cable