Margins Check: Summer movies, DVDs through iTunes, and more

Editor’s Note: Welcome to On the Margins, a feature for RCR Wireless News’ weekly e-mail service, Mobile Content and Culture. Every week, the RCR Wireless News staff considers events in the wider business world and how they could affect the wireless industry.
–The summer movie season is kicking into high gear, with “Iron Man” in theaters and a lineup of potential blockbusters on tap for the coming months. Although there are always occasional bombs, mobile content vendors would do well to grab onto the coattails of successful movie franchises.
–Apple announced it will begin selling movie downloads on its iTunes service on the same day the films are released on DVD. The move marks a significant step forward in Apple’s relationships with Hollywood studios. The news could also foreshadow a loosening of the movie licensing and distribution situation in the mobile industry.
–The sale of new vehicles in the United States is entering a slump, forcing auto makers to rethink some of their sales strategies. Those mobile players counting on the sale of new cars — those with Bluetooth and cellphone integrations, for example — might consider refining their approach.