ITV

Category: Video On Demand

  • View Netflix offline now, or YouTube & Amazon

    View Netflix offline now, or YouTube & Amazon

    MUMBAI: Netflix fans in India are in a state of euphoria. The subscription-based VOD service will now allow its users to download some of its shows and films, and watch them offline.

    Users can download and keep select television shows and movie for offline viewing. Not every show and movie in its catalogue is included, however. Considering the poor internet connectivity issues in India, this addition by Netflix comes as a boon for its subscribers. According to an official announcement, the feature is rolling out worldwide, and Netflix won’t be charging anything extra for the download.

    Many of its series and films are available for download, including originals like Stranger Things, Orange Is the New Black, The Crown and House of Cards.

    Though, shows like BBC’s Sherlock series or the Disney’s animated hit Zootopia or Netflix originals like The Little Prince film, etc. aren’t available to watch offline. Netflix said more downloadable titles are on the way.

    Rivals with offline viewing such as YouTube, Amazon Prime and Hungama Play have become more competitive. Hungama Play offers the same feature where viewers can enjoy content on the go and offline which was introduced in August 2016. Apart from its diverse content library, the video-on-demand platform aims to add five original series by March 2017.

    As for Netflix, members need to update their app and look for an arrow symbol next to a title to indicate downloading. Subscribers can also look to a new category on the Netflix app’s side menu called “Available for Download,” which collects all the programs you can watch offline.

    The app update is available for both Apple iOS and Google Android devices.

  • AT&T unveils live video streaming service, DirecTV Now

    AT&T unveils live video streaming service, DirecTV Now

    MUMBAI: To win over subscribers who avoid pay-television subscriptions, AT&T has launched its streaming service DirecTV Now. The service will launch at prices ranging from $35 a month for over 60 channels to $70 for over 120 channels.

    The company has also announced that, for a limited time, more than 100 channels will be available for $35. The video service joins competitors like Sling TV and PlayStation Vue in drastically undercutting traditional cable and satellite packages, which often cost more than $100 per month. Dish Network launched Sling TV streaming service more than a year ago, and Sony PlayStation has its own package called PlayStation Vue. Next year, online video service Hulu plans to offer its own bundles of TV channels.

    The platform’s content will include live and on-demand video from Walt Disney, Twenty-First Century Fox, Viacom Inc and Scripps Networks Interactive. According to reports, the company is actively working to bring CBS Corp programming to its service.

    AT&T is counting on the mobile video market for new revenue as most U.S. consumers already have wireless service and further growth is limited. AT&T acquired DirecTV for $48.5 billion last year, making it the largest U.S. pay-TV operator with 25.3 million video subscribers, in an effort to diversify into the media and entertainment business.

    AT&T is also at near talks to acquire Time Warner for about $86 billion. This deal would create a media behemoth that offers TV, wireless, and the content that goes with it.

  • AT&T unveils live video streaming service, DirecTV Now

    AT&T unveils live video streaming service, DirecTV Now

    MUMBAI: To win over subscribers who avoid pay-television subscriptions, AT&T has launched its streaming service DirecTV Now. The service will launch at prices ranging from $35 a month for over 60 channels to $70 for over 120 channels.

    The company has also announced that, for a limited time, more than 100 channels will be available for $35. The video service joins competitors like Sling TV and PlayStation Vue in drastically undercutting traditional cable and satellite packages, which often cost more than $100 per month. Dish Network launched Sling TV streaming service more than a year ago, and Sony PlayStation has its own package called PlayStation Vue. Next year, online video service Hulu plans to offer its own bundles of TV channels.

    The platform’s content will include live and on-demand video from Walt Disney, Twenty-First Century Fox, Viacom Inc and Scripps Networks Interactive. According to reports, the company is actively working to bring CBS Corp programming to its service.

    AT&T is counting on the mobile video market for new revenue as most U.S. consumers already have wireless service and further growth is limited. AT&T acquired DirecTV for $48.5 billion last year, making it the largest U.S. pay-TV operator with 25.3 million video subscribers, in an effort to diversify into the media and entertainment business.

    AT&T is also at near talks to acquire Time Warner for about $86 billion. This deal would create a media behemoth that offers TV, wireless, and the content that goes with it.

  • Dharma movies to be shown on Spuul VOD

    Dharma movies to be shown on Spuul VOD

    MUMBAI: Digital video-on-demand (VOD) platform Spuul has partnered with Dharma Productions for its existing library. This move is in keeping with their strategy for 2016 to become the dominant player in the Indian movie content – both Bollywood and regional.

    In addition to the Hindi version of Bahubali, other blockbuster movies like Kapoor & Sons, Kuch Kuch Hota Hai, Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham, Kal Ho Na Ho, Kabhi Alvida Na Kehna and Humpty Sharma Ki Dulhania, will be added to the library for Spuul’s premium subscribers in countries rich in the Indian diaspora.

    Dharma Productions already has a licensing deal with Amazon Prime. With this, the streaming service will air the digital premieres of movies like Ae Dil Hai Mushkil starring Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, Ranbir Kapoor and Anushka Sharma, Ok Jaanu featuring Aditya Roy Kapoor and Shraddha Kapoor, and Badrinath Ki Dulhania, which has Varun Dhawan and Alia Bhatt.

    With this deal, existing Prime members will have access to unlimited streaming of this popular content as a part of their Prime membership.

    “We are extremely excited to partner with Dharma, and to add their films to our library. Movies from Karan Johar’s production house continue to be a favourite amongst film lovers, and we’re only facilitating a platform for viewers to watch their all time favourite films,” said Spuul Global CEO Subin Subaiah. This is a non-exclusive deal for territories outside India..

    These movies will be available across platforms like web, mobile (iOS, Android), smart TV (Samsung, Panasonic, LG), Airplay on iOS, Fire on Amazon and Chromecast on Android)

  • Dharma movies to be shown on Spuul VOD

    Dharma movies to be shown on Spuul VOD

    MUMBAI: Digital video-on-demand (VOD) platform Spuul has partnered with Dharma Productions for its existing library. This move is in keeping with their strategy for 2016 to become the dominant player in the Indian movie content – both Bollywood and regional.

    In addition to the Hindi version of Bahubali, other blockbuster movies like Kapoor & Sons, Kuch Kuch Hota Hai, Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham, Kal Ho Na Ho, Kabhi Alvida Na Kehna and Humpty Sharma Ki Dulhania, will be added to the library for Spuul’s premium subscribers in countries rich in the Indian diaspora.

    Dharma Productions already has a licensing deal with Amazon Prime. With this, the streaming service will air the digital premieres of movies like Ae Dil Hai Mushkil starring Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, Ranbir Kapoor and Anushka Sharma, Ok Jaanu featuring Aditya Roy Kapoor and Shraddha Kapoor, and Badrinath Ki Dulhania, which has Varun Dhawan and Alia Bhatt.

    With this deal, existing Prime members will have access to unlimited streaming of this popular content as a part of their Prime membership.

    “We are extremely excited to partner with Dharma, and to add their films to our library. Movies from Karan Johar’s production house continue to be a favourite amongst film lovers, and we’re only facilitating a platform for viewers to watch their all time favourite films,” said Spuul Global CEO Subin Subaiah. This is a non-exclusive deal for territories outside India..

    These movies will be available across platforms like web, mobile (iOS, Android), smart TV (Samsung, Panasonic, LG), Airplay on iOS, Fire on Amazon and Chromecast on Android)

  • India: 40 per cent smartphone users stream live videos; leads in new subs

    India: 40 per cent smartphone users stream live videos; leads in new subs

    MUMBAI: There is a rise of 5G networks and consumers subscribing to the network. By 2022, there will be a growth in mobile broadband to 6.1 billion unique subscribers. Forecasting the trends in telecom sector across the world, Ericsson Mobility Report has pointed out that approximately half a billion users will be connected to 5G networks by 2022.

    North America (NA) will dominate the industry with nearly 25 per cent of 5G subscriptions in 2022. Asia Pacific will fall next with about 10 per cent of the share.

    The Middle East and Africa will shift from predominantly GSM/EDGE only to approximately 80 percent of users being connected to WCDMA/HSPA and LTE. The report further points out that the mobile subscriber base is estimated to scale 6.8 billion with over 95 per cent people being connected to 4G or 5G networks.

    Ericsson chief strategy officer and technology officer Ulf Ewaldsson opined that almost 90 per cent of smartphone subscriptions are on 3G and 4G networks today, and standardised 5G networks are expected to be available in 2020. He further added that 5G would help automation, IoT and big data.

    The world added 84 million new mobile subscriptions during the third quarter of 2016 with India leading regarding net additions with 15 million, with China closely following with 14 million new mobile subscribers.

    The report points out that the mobile video traffic will grow 50 per cent every year through 2022, accounting for about 75 per cent of all the mobile data traffic. Social media traffic will be the second type of traffic that will dominate the mobile traffic growing 39 per cent each year.

    As for as live streaming is concerned, two in every five smartphone users are interested in live streaming apps in India and other high-growth countries like Brazil, Indonesia and Oman. The reports suggest that the figure dropping to one in every five smartphone users in the United States of America.

    Along with 5G and Mobile Broadband, IoT will also see significant growth, with approximately 29 billion devices connected to the internet, out of which 18 billion of the devices relating to IoT.

  • India: 40 per cent smartphone users stream live videos; leads in new subs

    India: 40 per cent smartphone users stream live videos; leads in new subs

    MUMBAI: There is a rise of 5G networks and consumers subscribing to the network. By 2022, there will be a growth in mobile broadband to 6.1 billion unique subscribers. Forecasting the trends in telecom sector across the world, Ericsson Mobility Report has pointed out that approximately half a billion users will be connected to 5G networks by 2022.

    North America (NA) will dominate the industry with nearly 25 per cent of 5G subscriptions in 2022. Asia Pacific will fall next with about 10 per cent of the share.

    The Middle East and Africa will shift from predominantly GSM/EDGE only to approximately 80 percent of users being connected to WCDMA/HSPA and LTE. The report further points out that the mobile subscriber base is estimated to scale 6.8 billion with over 95 per cent people being connected to 4G or 5G networks.

    Ericsson chief strategy officer and technology officer Ulf Ewaldsson opined that almost 90 per cent of smartphone subscriptions are on 3G and 4G networks today, and standardised 5G networks are expected to be available in 2020. He further added that 5G would help automation, IoT and big data.

    The world added 84 million new mobile subscriptions during the third quarter of 2016 with India leading regarding net additions with 15 million, with China closely following with 14 million new mobile subscribers.

    The report points out that the mobile video traffic will grow 50 per cent every year through 2022, accounting for about 75 per cent of all the mobile data traffic. Social media traffic will be the second type of traffic that will dominate the mobile traffic growing 39 per cent each year.

    As for as live streaming is concerned, two in every five smartphone users are interested in live streaming apps in India and other high-growth countries like Brazil, Indonesia and Oman. The reports suggest that the figure dropping to one in every five smartphone users in the United States of America.

    Along with 5G and Mobile Broadband, IoT will also see significant growth, with approximately 29 billion devices connected to the internet, out of which 18 billion of the devices relating to IoT.

  • Amazon Prime to show Asahi’s anime content

    Amazon Prime to show Asahi’s anime content

    MUMBAI – November 24, 2016 – Amazon today announced its alliance with Japan-based TV Asahi Corporation which will make Amazon Prime Video India the exclusive subscription streaming home for some of TV Asahi’s all-time favorite kids toons – Doraemon, Shin chan, and Ninja Hattori. Available together in the territory for the first time ever on a video streaming platform, Doraemon, Shin Chan, and Ninja Hattori will be exclusive to Amazon Prime members in India with new episodes refreshed regularly.

    “Amazon Prime Video in India aims to be home to a diverse mix of beloved kids’ content and be the preferred entertainment choice for kids in India.” said Nitesh Kripalani, Director and Country Head, Amazon Prime Video India. “The popularity of Japanese anime has grown immensely and TV Asahi Corporation is one of Japan’s leading private broadcasters who we already have a content licensing agreement with in Japan. We are thrilled to extend this relationship to India as well to bring this fantastic content to our kids.”

    “We are excited about some of our best contents are going to be available on Amazon Prime Video. We hope the digital experience would take our contents to the next level of the popularity in India” said Takahiro Kishimoto, Head of Animation at International Business Department, TV Asahi Corporation.

    Doraemon is a popular Japanese manga series, created by Fujiko F. Fujio. The series has also been adapted into a successful anime series and media franchise. The story revolves around a robotic time-traveling cat named Doraemon, who travels back in time from the 22nd century to aid a pre-teen boy named Nobita Nobi.

    Shin chan, is a Japanese manga series created by Yoshito Usui. It follows the adventures of the five-year-old Shinnosuke “Shin” Nohara and his parents, baby sister, dog, neighbours, and friends and is set in Kasukabe, Saitama Prefecture. An anime adaptation of the series began airing on TV Asahi in 1992 and remains on air till this day.

    Ninja Hattori is a manga series created by Fujiko Fujio A, later adapted into a television drama, an anime series, a video game and a live-action movie. The comedy actions animated series was aired on TV Asahi in the 80’s and all new episodes of the series has been produced since 2012 and is currently on air in several Asian countries.

    Chimpui is a Japanese television series created by Fujiko F. Fujio in 1985. It tells the story of a young girl named Eri and two cute aliens that come to Earth to find her to be the most precious girl to marry with their beloved prince of the planet Mal.

  • Amazon Prime to show Asahi’s anime content

    Amazon Prime to show Asahi’s anime content

    MUMBAI – November 24, 2016 – Amazon today announced its alliance with Japan-based TV Asahi Corporation which will make Amazon Prime Video India the exclusive subscription streaming home for some of TV Asahi’s all-time favorite kids toons – Doraemon, Shin chan, and Ninja Hattori. Available together in the territory for the first time ever on a video streaming platform, Doraemon, Shin Chan, and Ninja Hattori will be exclusive to Amazon Prime members in India with new episodes refreshed regularly.

    “Amazon Prime Video in India aims to be home to a diverse mix of beloved kids’ content and be the preferred entertainment choice for kids in India.” said Nitesh Kripalani, Director and Country Head, Amazon Prime Video India. “The popularity of Japanese anime has grown immensely and TV Asahi Corporation is one of Japan’s leading private broadcasters who we already have a content licensing agreement with in Japan. We are thrilled to extend this relationship to India as well to bring this fantastic content to our kids.”

    “We are excited about some of our best contents are going to be available on Amazon Prime Video. We hope the digital experience would take our contents to the next level of the popularity in India” said Takahiro Kishimoto, Head of Animation at International Business Department, TV Asahi Corporation.

    Doraemon is a popular Japanese manga series, created by Fujiko F. Fujio. The series has also been adapted into a successful anime series and media franchise. The story revolves around a robotic time-traveling cat named Doraemon, who travels back in time from the 22nd century to aid a pre-teen boy named Nobita Nobi.

    Shin chan, is a Japanese manga series created by Yoshito Usui. It follows the adventures of the five-year-old Shinnosuke “Shin” Nohara and his parents, baby sister, dog, neighbours, and friends and is set in Kasukabe, Saitama Prefecture. An anime adaptation of the series began airing on TV Asahi in 1992 and remains on air till this day.

    Ninja Hattori is a manga series created by Fujiko Fujio A, later adapted into a television drama, an anime series, a video game and a live-action movie. The comedy actions animated series was aired on TV Asahi in the 80’s and all new episodes of the series has been produced since 2012 and is currently on air in several Asian countries.

    Chimpui is a Japanese television series created by Fujiko F. Fujio in 1985. It tells the story of a young girl named Eri and two cute aliens that come to Earth to find her to be the most precious girl to marry with their beloved prince of the planet Mal.

  • Netflix gets competition as Hooq enters Singapore market

    Netflix gets competition as Hooq enters Singapore market

    MUMBAI: Team Netflix, please take note. Video streaming service Hooq is now available in Singapore. It launched in the Philippines early last year, and has since expanded to Thailand, India and Indonesia. In India, Hooq plans to invest $2 million on home-grown content.

    Hooq is a joint venture by Singtel, Sony Pictures Television and Warner Bros. Entertainment.

    The platform has a catalogue of over 20,000 movies and television shows, comprising both Hollywood and regional content. Apart from Hollywood content, Hooq has presently sourced Indian films and shows from studios like Rajshri Productions, Reliance Entertainment, Shemaroo Entertainment, Balaji Telefilms and Whacked Out Studios. With the cost of making original English language shows high, the platform is considering Hindi and other Indian language content.

    It gives users access to Hollywood, Filipino, Indonesian and Indian content but there are plans to add Korean, Malay and Chinese content within the next 90 days.

    In Singapore, a subscription costs from $8.98 a month, to $78.98 for 360 days ($6.58 a month). Discounts are available for longer subscriptions. Hooq has also partnered with Singtel to offer prepaid streaming data bundles starting at $7 for 1 GB of streaming. More bundles will be available for the customers in the next few months.