Seeking to compete with a similar feature already offered by Microsoft's Xbox Live service, Sony reportedly intends to introduce a movie download service for the PlayStation 3 entertainment console possibly as early as this summer.

The company has been in licensing talks with studios in recent weeks, according to these executives, who asked to remain anonymous because of the sensitivity of continuing negotiations. The initial version of the service would include movies and television shows flowing from the Internet to the PlayStation 3. It would follow two other disappointing online ventures backed by Sony in recent years: Movielink, which attempted to become the online equivalent of the video store for mainstream Hollywood movies before being sold last year to Blockbuster Inc.; and Sony Connect, the company's response to Apple Inc.'s iTunes download service. It shut down in March.

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