The Pirate Bay is an online index of digital content of mostly entertainment media, founded in 2003, where visitors can search, download and contribute links and torrent files. (Photo : Facebook/Pirate Bay)
Popcorn Time is a perennial target of takedown efforts from copyright holders and authorities but the kiss of death for the free streaming service could likely be delivered from within the torrent circle. The Pirate Bay, Kickass Torrents and other torrent players are effectively transforming into streaming sites and the shift could eventually kill the Netflix for Pirates.
In a report, TorrentFreak said that TPB and KAT are adopting a new technology, specifically a plug-in that works on most web browsers, that permits the immediate streaming of movie and television contents hosted on the sites. The add-on is courtesy of Torrents-Time, which ironically is an offshoot of the Popcorn Time initiative.
With TPB and KAT collaborating with Torrents-Time, torrent fans do not need to download contents as they can readily click play on titles, especially those with sufficient peer numbers. The service includes VPN protection that claims the assurance of anonymity for users.
The updated TorrentFreak report indicates that the new service, which remains in beta stage, will soon be offered by other players such as Torrentproject.se, Videomax.is and Online.porntime.ws.
The service essentially mimics that of the Popcorn Time features but minus the hassle of loading the Popcorn Time application on a machine. With Torrents-Time installed on a browser, viewing a content will commence by simply clicking on a Stream It hyperlink (in TPB's case) that now accompanies most of the torrent contents indexed by TPB or KAT.
While the original intention was to keep Popcorn Time and its numerous forks available, the partnership could deliver the killer blow to the otherwise resilient free streaming service. Torrents-Time of a more robust incarnation of the popular service with the assurance that users' privacy will be protected as the use of the internal VPN will hide torrent fans' IP details.
Authorities and movie producers have been relentlessly taking down Popcorn Time with the Motion Picture Association of America or MPAA successfully pulling the plug on the Canadian developers that operated the original version late last year. But in matter of few weeks or days, new forks have emerged to keep the Popcorn Time flame alive.
These branches, however, could all soon disappear as the Torrents-Time-powered streaming option on The Pirate Bay and Kickass Torrents will eventually negate the need for Popcorn Time, serving in the end as killer of the Netflix for Pirates.
