uTorrent Will Soon Feature Ads

August 13, 2012 by
Filed under: Announcements & Events, Digital Media, Mobile Phones, P2P technology, Downloads, File-Sharing Programs, Networks & Services, Legal P2P News & Issues, Movies, MP3, Digital Audio & Games 

Originally launched in 2005 and purchased in 2006 by BitTorrent, uTorrent now claims more than 125 million active users a month, being the number one peer-to-peer platform. BitTorrent announced that the upcoming update will bring yet another feature – that of making uTorrent ad-supported.

It wasn’t easy to become the number one file-sharing platform – a lot of work and dedication was invested into turning the old uTorrent into not just a BitTorrent application, but an extensive tool to download and upload from your computer or remotely, stream as you download, rate, comment, and so on.

Last weekend a forum post announced that uTorrent will become ad-supported, adding to the client “a fresh approach to creating a no-nonsense and free torrenting experience.”

While it’s believed that BitTorrent generates between $15 and $20 million a year, these numbers will certainly go up after uTorrent will become ad-supported. In other words, ads are to be integrated into the client, taking the form of “featured torrents” – with the hope that they will generate even more revenue by promoting relevant content such as movies, games, software, music, etc. Another use of “featured torrents” is to inform users of new products, features and services, while also promoting independent artists.

“You are all very familiar with how we have paid the bills so far. These new changes mark our next step towards finding that difficult balance between keeping our lights on and providing a positive user experience,” the company explained.

“This new build will display a featured torrent at the top of your torrent list. This featured torrent space will be used to offer a variety of different types of content. We are working towards bringing you offers that are relevant to you.”

“This means films, games, music, software…basically anything that you will find interesting. We may not get it right on the first try but we will continue to improve our efforts based on your feedback,” BitTorrent Inc. adds.

All these changes may upset some uTorrent as the client will use your IP-address to pin-point your location. However, the company says that privacy is still guaranteed.

“We may not get it right on the first try but we will continue to improve our efforts based on your feedback,” BitTorrent said.

So, what do you think about an ad-supported uTorrent?

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