Category: iWorld

LG expands free streaming with 100 plus channels on smart TVs

MUMBAI: LG Electronics India has expanded its free, ad-supported streaming service, LG Channels, now offering more than 100 channels across various genres, including entertainment, news, music, and children’s programming.

LG smart TV owners can access these channels without the need for set-top boxes, subscriptions, or payments, enhancing convenience and accessibility. The platform features content in Hindi, English, and several regional languages, including Punjabi, Tamil, Telugu, Marathi, Gujarati, and Bangla, catering to a diverse audience.

“We are committed to enhancing the entertainment experience for our customers,” said LG Electronics India MD Hong Ju Jeon. “With over 100 free channels, LG Channels provides a wide range of content suited to all age groups. We will continue to expand and personalise our offerings.”

LG Channels is available on all LG smart TVs via the pre-installed app.

March 5, 2025
Entertainers Cricket League (ECL) returns, live on Waves OTT

MUMBAI: Cricket. Influencers. A digital audience of 900 million. Welcome to the Entertainers Cricket League (ECL) 2025, where content creators swap ring lights for floodlights and step onto the pitch for an electrifying showdown. After a phenomenal debut season, ECL is back bigger, better, and bolder, running from 5-16 March 2025, with live broadcasts on Prasar Bharati’s Waves OTT platform.

The tournament launches today with a grand opening ceremony at the Indira Gandhi Indoor Stadium in Delhi, led by Delhi CM Rekha Gupta. The action officially kicks off at 6 pm, with a thrilling opening clash between Haryanvi Hunters and Rajasthan Rangers, setting the tone for two weeks of intense competition.

ECL isn’t just expanding its viewership—it’s expanding its battlefield. This year’s edition welcomes three new teams into the fray:

– Rajasthan Rangers – Led by Youtube sensation Zayn Saifi.

– Kolkata Superstars – Headed by digital entrepreneur Pushkar Raj Thakur.

– Chennai Smashers – Commanded by social media star Mahesh Keshwala

They join returning fan-favourites like Munawar Faruqui, Abhishek Malhan, Elvish Yadav, Sonu Sharma, and Anurag Dwivedi, all of whom are set to mesmerise their massive fan bases both on the field and across social media.

ECL’s partnership with Waves OTT is a game-changer, ensuring that every six, wicket, and nail-biting moment reaches cricket and content fans alike.

“We are thrilled to bring the Entertainers Cricket League live to our viewers on Waves OTT! This season is set to ignite an electrifying showcase of talent, fierce competition, and unparalleled fan energy. With record participation and an unstoppable wave of enthusiasm, we are gearing up for a tournament like never before, and we can’t wait for the action to unfold”, etched Prasar Bharati CEO Gaurav Dwivedi.

“We’re thrilled to have Waves, Prasar Bharati’s OTT platform, as our sponsor for ECL Season 2. Their commitment to bringing diverse and engaging content aligns perfectly with our vision for the league”, elated Entertainers Cricket League founder Himanshu Chandnani.

“Having Waves as a sponsor for ECL Season 2 is a great addition. Their support strengthens the league, and we’re looking forward to an exciting season ahead”, added Entertainers Cricket League founder Anil Kumar.

The ECL 2025 final is set for 16 March at 9 pm, promising a blockbuster climax to a tournament that blends the best of cricket, content creation, and fan engagement.

March 5, 2025
Segwise’s AI puts a creative spin on Ad performance for game publishers

MUMBAI: When it comes to digital ads, knowing what works is half the battle. Segwise, the AI-first User Acquisition (UA) platform, has unveiled its latest game-changer Creative Analytics and Insights, an AI-powered tool that dissects ad creatives to pinpoint what’s boosting engagement and what’s dragging performance down.

For mobile game and app publishers, the struggle to manually track and analyse creative elements like backgrounds, characters, emotional hooks, and calls-to-action is a time-consuming puzzle. Segwise’s multimodal AI eliminates the guesswork by automatically tagging creative components across all major ad networks, helping publishers optimise their ads for better returns.

“We believe AI will soon be the backbone of every UA team,” said Segwise co-founder and CEO Brijesh Bharadwaj. “We built this platform to automate the tedious parts of campaign analysis so marketers can focus on strategy and scaling their ROAS.”

Adding more firepower to Segwise’s vision is PeopleFun Games former CEO Carol Miu who joins as an advisor. “Better monitoring and granular creative analytics can mean millions in ad savings. Segwise is building a UA platform that makes this effortless, and I’m excited to be part of the journey,” she said.

The Creative Analytics AI Agent compiles and analyses creative data across networks and geographies, revealing trends, detecting creative fatigue, and ensuring UA teams spend smarter, not harder. It’s the second addition to Segwise’s fast-growing AI-driven UA platform, following its AI Campaign Monitoring and Alerting Agent, which was voted number one Marketing Product of the Week on Product Hunt last year.

March 4, 2025
Ecom Express introduces near-home crèche to support working mothers

MUMBAI: Ecom Express Ltd has launched Ecom Mini Express, a near-home crèche facility designed to support working mothers by providing reliable childcare solutions. This initiative reinforces the company’s commitment to an inclusive and employee-friendly workplace.

The programme allows female employees to select a crèche close to their home or office, accommodating up to two children under six years old per employee. Ecom Express will reimburse childcare expenses, ensuring accessibility and financial ease.

Ecom Express CHRO Swati Mor stating, “We value the dedication of our female workforce. By addressing childcare challenges, we are enabling them to excel in their careers without compromising family responsibilities.”

With this move, Ecom Express continues to champion gender diversity and workplace flexibility, setting new benchmarks for employee-focused policies within the logistics industry.

March 4, 2025
Netradio Network expands global reach with five new music channels

MUMBAI: Netradio Network is set to amplify its global presence with the launch of five new music channels on its international feed. The expansion promises nonstop beats, diverse vibes, and 24/7 music entertainment for audiences worldwide.

Announcing the move, Sandeep Singh expressed excitement about bringing more variety to listeners and credited Christophe Marcy and the Netradio Network team for their efforts.

With this launch, Netradio Network continues to solidify its position as a major global music platform, delivering an unmatched auditory experience to fans across borders.

March 4, 2025
Gosats and Flipkart partner to enable supercoins-to-sats swaps

MUMBAI: Indian asset-based rewards platform Gosats has announced a strategic partnership with e-commerce giant Flipkart, enabling users to swap supercoins for sats, digital gold, and vice versa. The exchanged sats can be used for voucher purchases, utility payments, and UPI merchant transactions, while supercoins can be redeemed for discounts and purchases on Flipkart. Additionally, users can utilise supercoins for up to Rs 200 off on the purchase of the Gosats elite card.

The collaboration allows users to select the number of Flipkart supercoins they wish to convert into sats, with each supercoin valued at Rs 1. A minimum of 10 supercoins is required for conversion. Users can redeem 200 supercoins to obtain the elite card for premium benefits, while sats worth Rs 500 can be exchanged for 500 supercoins to be used on Flipkart.

This development follows Gosats surpassing one million users in India, driven by recent feature launches such as BBPS and Satspay. The platform now processes over 2,000 BBPS transactions daily via the Gosats elite card, reinforcing its commitment to revolutionising digital finance in India.

Gosats co-founder & CEO, Mohammed Roshan stated, “India’s digital finance ecosystem is still evolving, and our mission is to drive this transformation by integrating sats and digital gold. The elite card uniquely positions us to help users transition to digital finance, turning transactions into passive investment opportunities and enabling them to spend their digital wealth more effectively. Our collaboration with Flipkart supercoins will allow users to not only swap their supercoins for sats but also make purchases virtually cost-free—an innovation we aim to pioneer in the country.”

This partnership marks a significant milestone for Indian consumers who use the Gosats app for bill payments, including electricity, Fastag, and postpaid recharges, alongside e-commerce transactions on platforms like Flipkart and Myntra. Unlike supercoins, which have limited validity, sats offer lifetime value, providing users with a novel means to manage their digital assets.

Looking ahead, Gosats aims to double its user base by 2025, aligning with the Indian government’s Digital India initiative and further contributing to the nation’s digital financial transformation.

March 4, 2025
Lumio Smart TVs set to wobble India’s premium market, take on Xiaomi

MUMBAI: India’s smart TV market just got a bold new challenger—because what’s a tech industry without a little rebellion? Much like someone storming out of Adidas to create Fila, Circuit House Technologies is here to shake things up.

Co-founded by Raghu Reddy and Kailash Sankaranarayanan, former Xiaomi India and Flipkart executives respectively, this homegrown startup is throwing its hat into the premium smart TV ring with its made-in-India Lumio 4K smart TVs. Built by Dixon Technologies, these high-end screens are set to take on the big boys, delivering bigger, smarter, and better entertainment for Indian households.

As the overall TV market slows down, brands like Oppo, Realme, Philips, and Amazon Basics have already exited the space. But Circuit House sees opportunity where others see uncertainty. “There are pockets within the market that continue to grow as consumers seek premium and larger screen sizes. We are targeting the 4K smart TV segment… 4K TVs now account for almost 70 per cent of total television purchases and are projected to maintain a strong growth trajectory in the future,” said Reddy.

While Xiaomi, Samsung, LG, Sony, and TCL dominate the smart TV landscape, Circuit House is betting big on India’s premiumisation trend—with 43-inch and above 4K TVs leading the charge. Beyond TVs, the company plans to expand into the broader home entertainment segment.

Reddy and his team of ex-Xiaomi, Flipkart, Lenovo, Philips, TiVo, LG, and Samsung professionals are pooling their expertise in product development, branding, software, quality control, and after-sales service to craft a world-class smart TV experience.

For Lumio’s debut, Google is on board to integrate its Google TV OS, ensuring users get access to a rich content ecosystem. To lock in distribution, Lumio smart TVs will be sold exclusively on Amazon under a strategic partnership.

“The Smart TV segment in India is at an inflexion point, and partnerships like these demonstrate the immense potential of domestic manufacturing,” said Dixon Technologies vice chairman & MD Atul Lall.

Despite the Indian smart TV market shrinking by 3 per cent in 2024 due to macroeconomic challenges, Circuit House remains optimistic. The company sees a $5 billion market poised to grow at 13 per cent CAGR over the next three to four years, driven by bigger screens, QLED/OLED/MiniLED technology, and advanced features that are now becoming mainstream.

Last year, Circuit House raised $4.3 million in funding from Stellaris and 3one4 Capital—a war chest that Reddy says is enough for the company’s first year of operations.

With exits from key players and a shifting consumer landscape, Circuit House is betting that Indian consumers are ready to embrace a homegrown, high-quality smart TV brand. As premiumisation surges, Lumio’s high-spec, India-made smart TVs could be the disruptor the market didn’t see coming.

March 3, 2025
Stan teams up with Fancraze to revolutionise cricket fandom

MUMBAI: Gaming community startup Stan, backed by Nazara, has announced a strategic partnership with Fancraze, the creator of ICC Crictos Superteam. This collaboration will integrate Fancraze’s licensed digital collectibles from the International Cricket Council (ICC) with Stan’s interactive community-driven platform, offering cricket enthusiasts an innovative way to engage with the sport.

This first-of-its-kind alliance will provide fans with dynamic experiences, including live audio rooms, influencer-led communities, quests, and VIP events. By blending digital ownership with interactive social elements, the partnership aims to deepen fans’ connection to cricket through exclusive and immersive activities.

Stan founder & CEO Parth Chadha stated, “Cricket and gaming are more than just entertainment in India—they are a way of life. At Stan, we have built India’s largest online gaming community, and our collaboration with Fancraze will create an electrifying hub where users can play, compete, and celebrate cricket like never before. This will bring fans closer to the action, excitement, and rewards in an unprecedented way.”

Fancraze founder & CEO Anshum Bhambri added, “We are thrilled to join forces with Stan to introduce a fresh and innovative experience for our users. By merging digital ownership with social gamification, we are elevating fandom to new heights. This partnership is a significant step towards creating a more interactive and immersive space for cricket enthusiasts.”

This collaboration marks a new era in cricket fan engagement, leveraging technology to transform the way supporters connect with the game and its players.

March 3, 2025
Waayu delivers 1,10,000 Mahakumbh prasad boxes across India

Mumbai: Waayu, India’s first 0 per cent commission food delivery platform in partnership with ONDC, has successfully delivered over 1,10,000 Mahakumbh prasad boxes and Sangam Jal orders by the conclusion of Mahakumbh 2025. This initiative allowed devotees across the country to experience the spiritual essence of the event from their homes.

Launched on 13 January, Waayu’s campaign distributed Mahaprasad across 19,000 pin codes in India. The shuddh desi ghee besan laddoos, freshly prepared in Prayagraj, Ayodhya, and Varanasi using traditional methods, met strict hygiene standards. The initiative also aligned with Mahakumbh’s sustainability goals by using eco-friendly, plastic-free packaging.

As Mahakumbh concluded on 26 February, 40 per cent of orders came from tier-1 cities such as Bangalore, Delhi, Pune, Mumbai, and Hyderabad, 35 per cent from tier-3 cities including Telangana, Uttar Pradesh, Odisha, Andhra Pradesh, and Tamil Nadu, and 20 per cent from tier-2 cities such as Maharashtra, Gujarat, and West Bengal. Approximately 23,000 boxes were delivered to travellers in Prayagraj.

Waayu co-founder & CEO, Mandar Lande credited partnerships with major logistics providers, including delivery, blue dart, shiprocket, amazon shipping, and India post, for ensuring timely deliveries nationwide. He also highlighted the company’s commitment to sustainability through plastic-free packaging.

Waayu collaborated with ONDC and many platforms such as Paytm, Snapdeal, Bajaj Finserv, Digihaat, Mystore, and Rubaru, streamlining Mahakumbh prasad orders. ONDC’s open network enabled swift nationwide delivery within seven days, making prasad accessible to devotees regardless of their location.

Waayu MD & co-founder, Anirudha Kotgire stated, “We are extending prasad delivery beyond Mahakumbh 2025 to build a broader spiritual commerce ecosystem. We plan to replicate this model for festivals such as Ram Navami, Krishna Janmashtami, Navratri, Ganesh Chaturthi, Diwali, regional Kumbh Melas, and Makar Sankranti.”

Following the success of this initiative, Waayu is expanding its reach in tier-1 and tier-2 cities, offering local restaurants a cost-effective alternative through its ONDC partnership. By addressing gaps in food delivery across smaller cities, Waayu aims to establish itself as a sustainable and restaurant-friendly market competitor.

March 3, 2025
Netflix boasts eye-watering viewing figures

MUMBAI: Netflix, the streaming behemoth that enjoys reminding us all that it was first to the party, has revealed its subscribers collectively frittered away a staggering 94 billion hours watching content between July and December 2024. One can only imagine how many unwritten novels, unlearned languages, and unvisited gymnasiums those hours represent.

The company, displaying its customary selective transparency, proudly announced that the comedy caper Carry On topped its film charts with 137 million views. Curiously, Netflix neglected to convert this figure into actual viewing hours—perhaps calculating the true extent of global procrastination proved too depressing even for its data analysts.

Union (131 million views) and Rebel Ridge (129 million) followed closely behind, with Beverly Hills Cop (97 million) and Our Little Secret (81 million) rounding out the top five films that kept humanity from more productive pursuits.

On the series front, to absolutely nobody’s surprise, Squid Game continued its cultural stranglehold with its second season amassing 87 million views. The Perfect Couple (which, ironically, describes Netflix’s relationship with its audience’s leisure time) secured 75 million views, while Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story drew in 70 million viewers with its cheery subject matter.

Meanwhile, Emily in Paris continues to defy both critics and cultural cringe in its fourth season, with 58 million views suggesting that viewers simply cannot get enough of watching an implausibly employed American navigate the treacherous waters of croissants and couture. Nobody Wants This completed the top five with 57 million views—a title that clearly doesn’t apply to the show itself.

The streaming giant’s announcement serves as both a flex of its market dominance and a gentle reminder that we’re all spending far too much time staring at screens. Nonetheless, with numbers like these, Netflix executives are likely too busy counting their subscribers to worry about counting sheep at night.

(While like millions of others globally, we too are fans of Netflix and probably contributed a few thousand hours to Netflix’s 94 billion hours, we decided to write this piece in a fun, almost irreverent manner, just like the content Netflix offers. Cheers!)

March 2, 2025