µTorrent Plus Launches: Play It Now on Popular Devices

SAN FRANCISCO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--BitTorrent, Inc., a globally-recognized creator of software and protocols to help people find, share and move digital media, today released the highly-anticipated µTorrent Plus ($24.95 USD, annual subscription): the first premium version of the company’s renowned free tiny-but-mighty µTorrent client.

“And while we’re very excited to release this first premium version, we want to assure all the µTorrent fans that we remain wholly committed and enthusiastic about developing and improving our flagship free µTorrent software.”

With over 100 million active monthly users worldwide, µTorrent is the iconic leader in helping people get massive digital files. µTorrent Plus builds upon the core foundation with a bevy of new easy-to-use features, including file conversion/transcoding, an HD media player, integrated antivirus powered by BitDefender, plus remote control and downloading capabilities.

“µTorrent Plus is a notable step in our strategy to make it easy for people to shift their personal media from their PC and play it on mobile devices, TVs, connected devices and more,” said Shahi Ghanem, chief strategist at BitTorrent. “Whether it’s personal content sent by a friend or indie content found on the Internet, people are too often frustrated by file formats that aren’t supported by their favored device.”

Continued Ghanem, “µTorrent Plus solves this dilemma. It has quality codec packs that we’ve licensed from trusted sources and a simple file-conversion built right into the client. We’ve combined this with an HD media player, a new layer of antivirus security and enhanced remote access and control options to make µTorrent Plus a powerful and easy-to-use solution.”

Plus Features:

File conversion: Transcode downloaded files right within the µTorrent Plus software. Initial supported codecs include: MPEG-4, H.264, Theora, and VP8 video codecs; MP3, AAC and AC-3 audio codecs. With these codecs, µTorrent Plus enable users to convert files and shift them easily to Apple, Android, Xbox 360 and Playstation 3 devices.
Antivirus: Powered by BitDefender, the built-in antivirus automatically scans downloaded files for hidden viruses and malware.
Integrated HD media player: Download a file and play it immediately in standard definition or high-definition, within the µTorrent software.
Remote downloading: µTorrent Plus users will unlock a new feature in the popular µTorrent Remote Web service. In addition to nearly full remote control of their home torrent client through any supported browser, µTorrent Plus users will also have the ability to download files from their home torrent library to the remote computer.

“µTorrent Plus was conceived as a way to offer users added convenience and new features to fit their ever-widening digital lifestyle,” said Jordy Berson, director of product management for µTorrent. “And while we’re very excited to release this first premium version, we want to assure all the µTorrent fans that we remain wholly committed and enthusiastic about developing and improving our flagship free µTorrent software.”

The features are also now available in a new Plus version of BitTorrent Mainline released today, available here.

µTorrent Plus and BitTorrent Mainline Plus are each $24.95 USD for a year subscription, including codecs, antivirus updates and new features that may be released at a later date. The software is compatible with Windows XP, Vista and Windows 7. µTorrent Remote for Android and optimized mobile versions for Apple iPhones and iPads are also compatible with µTorrent Plus.

In related news, the company also released µTorrent 3.1 (free) and BitTorrent Mainline 7.6 today. The refreshed versions include easy file shifting to popular devices by drag-and-drop, an integrated HD player, and client performance optimizations.

About BitTorrent

BitTorrent creates advanced, innovative technologies to efficiently move large files across the Internet. The company's two main products today include the original BitTorrent software and the tiny-but-mighty µTorrent, which combined boast over 100+ million users. BitTorrent is based in San Francisco, Calif. More information is available at http://www.bittorrent.com.