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Tag: LeEco

  • Eros International raises $30 million for Eros Now

    Eros International raises $30 million for Eros Now

    MUMBAI: Indian Bollywood major Eros International is getting hotter on OTT. It announced this morning that two of its existing top 10 institutional shareholders have increased their holdings in the company through a private placement and are pumping in approximately $30 million. The proceeds of the allotment will be primarily used to fund the further expansion of Eros Now, its OTT platform.

    Eros International group CEO & MD Jyoti Deshpande commented: “Our vision to transform Eros from a leading film studio to a leading digital company with a global footprint is well underway with Eros Now, our OTT platform crossing one million paid subscribers as of 30 June 2016. Our ownership of content and our strong balance sheet should provide tailwinds to grow the Eros Now subscriber base from one million to ten million and eventually hundred million within the next decade.”

    Eros Now is Eros International Plc’s leading on-demand Bollywood entertainment network accessible anytime, anywhere, on nearly any Internet-connected screen. Eros Now offers users across 135 countries a large library of films (Eros Now has rights to over 5,000 films), as well as premium television shows, music videos and audio tracks.

    Eros Now is also working on launching compelling original drama series for its viewers. It also has compelling product features such as offline viewing where premium subscribers can download the content and view it when not connected to the Internet make Eros Now a unique offering with focus on user experience.

    Available on Apple and Android platforms, Eros Now has integration deals with Airtel, Idea and Reliance Jio and several other operators internationally. A crucial deal was struck with Reliance Jio, the 4G player that has rolled out the most aggressive plan for digital India. In its platform-agnostic strategy, Eros has struck deals with OEMs and telecom operators such as Micromax, Airtel, Idea, LeEco, and Maxis.

    Through the Eros-Jio partnership, new and old movies including Bajirao Mastaani, Bajrangi Bhaijaan, Prem Ratan Dhan Payo and Tanu Weds Manu Returns, will be available on the JioOnDemand app. With 30 HD channels, Jio is offering live streaming of over 300 TV channels 10 genres and 15 languages.

    Available on Amazon Fire TV, Apple TV, and pre-installed in Android TV, Eros Now crossed over 50 million registered users worldwide across WAP, APP, and Web, as of 30 June 2016. It has already crossed over 1.1 million active unique paying subscribers who have paid for at least one month.

    Eros released 14 films in Q1 FY17 of which three were high, two were medium and nine were low-budget films. Sardaar Gabbar Singh (Telugu),Housefull 3 (Hindi), 24 (Tamil), Marudhu (Tamil) and Ki and Ka (Hindi) were the main revenue earning films during the quarter. Eros Now is planning to acquire 10,000 additional films to add to its strong library.

    Eros Now, in October 2015, partnered with Ortel, an MSO (multi system operator) and ISP, to offer a subscription-based movie streaming service. Eros had, in August last year, also negotiated a partnership with Airtel to offer video and movie content on Wynk. Eros Now tied up with WeChat in June 2015 so as to allow users to watch videos, listen to music, and get Bollywood gossip and news. Eros Now, in the same month, inked a content acquisition deal with Hum TV of Pakistan.

    Eros Now has a five-year worldwide target of at least 15-20 million subscribers with a blended annual ARPU of $30 internationally and $5 from India. Trinity Pictures, owned by Eros International is building its franchises with two Sino-Indian co-productions, with a scheduled FY 2018 release.

    Eros Now hopes to achieve at least two million paying subscribers by the end of FY 2017 and five million paying subscribers by the end of FY-18.

  • LeEco partners with netCORE for digital marketing initiatives

    LeEco partners with netCORE for digital marketing initiatives

    MUMBAI: netCORE today announced that it has entered into a strategic partnership with global internet and technology conglomerate LeEco, to provide performance marketing solutions for the “LeMall for All” day. The first such shopping extravaganza was held on Aug 9, 2016, that saw incredible user traction.

    “LeMall for All” Day is a one-day shopping festival hosted on LeMall.com where users can avail exciting discounts on LeEco products such as Superphones, audiodevices, and other accessories. LeEco plans to make this a recurrent shopping carnival going-forward.

    netCORE helped LeEco achieve its target of over 75,000 visitors on LeMall.com for the first “LeMall for All” day through effective email campaigns which resulted in a conversion rate of 0.7 per cent.

    In the 1st flash sale, netCORE partnered with 50+ publishers to achieve 45,000 registrations & a return of 2.5 times on the amount spent. The learning from the 1st flash sales were carried in the subsequent flash sales which resulted in partnering with around 30 publishers achieving over 65,000 registrations and a return of 4.5 times.

    Commenting on this association, LeEco India smart electronics business COO Atul Jain said, “I am really delighted with this strategic partnership with netCORE.We hope to take this partnership to a new level.”

    Speaking about this achievement, Kalpit Jain, CEO of netCORE CEO Kalpit Jain said, “It gives us immense pleasure when a campaign delivers results beyond the client’s expectations.We will continue to delight LeEco with even better results for the upcoming campaigns.”

    After successfully supporting the launch of Le 2 and Le Max2, netCORE will also work with LeEco to support the flash sales of its Super3 Series TVs.

  • LeEco partners with netCORE for digital marketing initiatives

    LeEco partners with netCORE for digital marketing initiatives

    MUMBAI: netCORE today announced that it has entered into a strategic partnership with global internet and technology conglomerate LeEco, to provide performance marketing solutions for the “LeMall for All” day. The first such shopping extravaganza was held on Aug 9, 2016, that saw incredible user traction.

    “LeMall for All” Day is a one-day shopping festival hosted on LeMall.com where users can avail exciting discounts on LeEco products such as Superphones, audiodevices, and other accessories. LeEco plans to make this a recurrent shopping carnival going-forward.

    netCORE helped LeEco achieve its target of over 75,000 visitors on LeMall.com for the first “LeMall for All” day through effective email campaigns which resulted in a conversion rate of 0.7 per cent.

    In the 1st flash sale, netCORE partnered with 50+ publishers to achieve 45,000 registrations & a return of 2.5 times on the amount spent. The learning from the 1st flash sales were carried in the subsequent flash sales which resulted in partnering with around 30 publishers achieving over 65,000 registrations and a return of 4.5 times.

    Commenting on this association, LeEco India smart electronics business COO Atul Jain said, “I am really delighted with this strategic partnership with netCORE.We hope to take this partnership to a new level.”

    Speaking about this achievement, Kalpit Jain, CEO of netCORE CEO Kalpit Jain said, “It gives us immense pleasure when a campaign delivers results beyond the client’s expectations.We will continue to delight LeEco with even better results for the upcoming campaigns.”

    After successfully supporting the launch of Le 2 and Le Max2, netCORE will also work with LeEco to support the flash sales of its Super3 Series TVs.

  • LeEco India signs on three strategic digital marketing partners

    LeEco India signs on three strategic digital marketing partners

    MUMBAI: Global Internet and technology conglomerate, LeEco has inked strategic partnerships with three leading digital marketing solutions companies in India– iCubeswire, netCORE and vCommission. The expertise of the three companies will enable LeEco to further strengthen its digital communication by offering personalized strategies and integrated marketing campaigns.

    LeEco prioritizes digital technologies into its core marketing strategies and these partnerships will play a critical role in delivering relevant and real-time experiences to consumers. The global technology company is betting big on LeMall.com in India, and the partnership with iCubeswire, netCORE and vCommission will help LeMall.com generate pre-booking and registrations for its flash sales through innovative creatives for the connected generation.

    “With the increasing focus of users on digital channels, executing marketing strategies that connect effectively with them is extremely important. We believe these partnerships will help us amplify the reach of LeMall.com and further entrench our presence in the country,” said LeEco India Smart Business Electronics COO Atul Jain.

    As part of the partnership, iCubeswire will support various digital marketing activities with accurate data, reports, analytics, and insights to drive higher ROI. In the past as well, iCubeswire has helped LeMall.com, in generating pre-buzz ahead of the launch of LeEco’s Superphones and sustaining momentum for them, ultimately aiding record-breaking sales.

    Both netCORE and vCommission were recently assigned to manage the marketing duties for the “LeMall for All” day held on 9 August 2016, that saw an incredible user traction. “LeMall for All” Day is a one-day shopping festival hosted on LeMall.com where users cab avail exciting discounts on LeEco products such as Superphones, audio devices, and other accessories. LeEco plans to make this a recurrent shopping carnival going-forward. After successfully supporting the launch of Le 2 and Le Max2, netCORE will also work with LeEco to support the first flash sale of its Super3 Series TVs.

    Over the years, marketing has moved beyond the traditional and has implications for a wide variety of stakeholders. In such a scenario and a fiercely competitive smartphone industry, these partnerships will empower LeEco to differentiate itself from others.

  • LeEco India signs on three strategic digital marketing partners

    LeEco India signs on three strategic digital marketing partners

    MUMBAI: Global Internet and technology conglomerate, LeEco has inked strategic partnerships with three leading digital marketing solutions companies in India– iCubeswire, netCORE and vCommission. The expertise of the three companies will enable LeEco to further strengthen its digital communication by offering personalized strategies and integrated marketing campaigns.

    LeEco prioritizes digital technologies into its core marketing strategies and these partnerships will play a critical role in delivering relevant and real-time experiences to consumers. The global technology company is betting big on LeMall.com in India, and the partnership with iCubeswire, netCORE and vCommission will help LeMall.com generate pre-booking and registrations for its flash sales through innovative creatives for the connected generation.

    “With the increasing focus of users on digital channels, executing marketing strategies that connect effectively with them is extremely important. We believe these partnerships will help us amplify the reach of LeMall.com and further entrench our presence in the country,” said LeEco India Smart Business Electronics COO Atul Jain.

    As part of the partnership, iCubeswire will support various digital marketing activities with accurate data, reports, analytics, and insights to drive higher ROI. In the past as well, iCubeswire has helped LeMall.com, in generating pre-buzz ahead of the launch of LeEco’s Superphones and sustaining momentum for them, ultimately aiding record-breaking sales.

    Both netCORE and vCommission were recently assigned to manage the marketing duties for the “LeMall for All” day held on 9 August 2016, that saw an incredible user traction. “LeMall for All” Day is a one-day shopping festival hosted on LeMall.com where users cab avail exciting discounts on LeEco products such as Superphones, audio devices, and other accessories. LeEco plans to make this a recurrent shopping carnival going-forward. After successfully supporting the launch of Le 2 and Le Max2, netCORE will also work with LeEco to support the first flash sale of its Super3 Series TVs.

    Over the years, marketing has moved beyond the traditional and has implications for a wide variety of stakeholders. In such a scenario and a fiercely competitive smartphone industry, these partnerships will empower LeEco to differentiate itself from others.

  • LeEco first ever TV campaign highlights unique features of its Superphones

    LeEco first ever TV campaign highlights unique features of its Superphones

    NEW DELHI: Global internet and technology conglomerate LeEco has launched its first TV campaign for the second generation Superphones Le 2 and Le Max2 demonstrating the supreme specifications of the two Superphones including LeEco’s patented CDLA technology.

    “We launched in India with focused digital and front page print strategy. This undoubtedly created a big impact and worked very well for the brand. Now, in tandem with our rapid growth we have expanded our marketing arsenal to include outdoor and Television. Our TVC rides on the basic insight that Millennials (our primary target audience), relate to a futuristic approach which aligns perfectly with the brand’s proposition. Through this TVC, we seek to communicate key differentiators of our disruptive Superphones, specifically our CDLA technology and the content ecosystem.”, said LeEco India Vice President Marketing Communications, Smart Electronics Business Manish Aggarwal.

    The TVC has been conceptualized and created by J Walter Thompson India, one of India’s leading Advertising agencies in India. The TVC runs across a bouquet of channels targeted at the urban youth. The TVC first went on air on 10 August 2016 across 60+ channels.

    JWT Bangalore Managing Partner Joy Chauhan said: “Today’s youth is constantly living intomorrow and technology brands like LeEco are making it possible for them to do that seamlessly. Today, Content is the King and the youth its biggest consumer. The TVC mirrors the desire of today’s youth and offers the perfect solution in LeEco Superphones with path breaking CDLA technology to enable them to live the future”.

    The TVC showcases some distinct features of Le 2 and Le Max2. Both Superphones pioneer the industry first CDLA (Continual Digital Lossless Audio) Standard and come with USB Type-C audio port, clearly demonstrated in the TVC. It also illustrates how users can immerse themselves in an ultimate experience that the ecosystem enabled superphones offer them.

  • LeEco first ever TV campaign highlights unique features of its Superphones

    LeEco first ever TV campaign highlights unique features of its Superphones

    NEW DELHI: Global internet and technology conglomerate LeEco has launched its first TV campaign for the second generation Superphones Le 2 and Le Max2 demonstrating the supreme specifications of the two Superphones including LeEco’s patented CDLA technology.

    “We launched in India with focused digital and front page print strategy. This undoubtedly created a big impact and worked very well for the brand. Now, in tandem with our rapid growth we have expanded our marketing arsenal to include outdoor and Television. Our TVC rides on the basic insight that Millennials (our primary target audience), relate to a futuristic approach which aligns perfectly with the brand’s proposition. Through this TVC, we seek to communicate key differentiators of our disruptive Superphones, specifically our CDLA technology and the content ecosystem.”, said LeEco India Vice President Marketing Communications, Smart Electronics Business Manish Aggarwal.

    The TVC has been conceptualized and created by J Walter Thompson India, one of India’s leading Advertising agencies in India. The TVC runs across a bouquet of channels targeted at the urban youth. The TVC first went on air on 10 August 2016 across 60+ channels.

    JWT Bangalore Managing Partner Joy Chauhan said: “Today’s youth is constantly living intomorrow and technology brands like LeEco are making it possible for them to do that seamlessly. Today, Content is the King and the youth its biggest consumer. The TVC mirrors the desire of today’s youth and offers the perfect solution in LeEco Superphones with path breaking CDLA technology to enable them to live the future”.

    The TVC showcases some distinct features of Le 2 and Le Max2. Both Superphones pioneer the industry first CDLA (Continual Digital Lossless Audio) Standard and come with USB Type-C audio port, clearly demonstrated in the TVC. It also illustrates how users can immerse themselves in an ultimate experience that the ecosystem enabled superphones offer them.

  • Will LeEco’s device-content bundling strategy pay off in India?

    Will LeEco’s device-content bundling strategy pay off in India?

    MUMBAI: There’s a content acquirer on the prowl in India. And it is carrying a fat purse to buy and create the content. Chinese company Leshi Internet Information & Technology aka LeEco – introduced its Super3 TV sets in India last week – and a day later a whisper campaign started that it was going to spend top dollar to build a robust OTT content ecosystem to encourage uptake of the screens by Indian consumers.

    The figure being bandied about is US$200 million or Rs 1,330 crore, according to media reports. It reportedly is in talks with Netflix in the US to offer its content on its devices – which includes smart phones, TV sets, and even smart cars. And it has appointed a content head Harini Calamur whose job is to work with local producers, and distributors to build up its Indian content roster further.

    Its LeEco content ecosystem was launched earlier this year (in May 2016) when it introduced its Le 1S Eco phone at a price tage of Rs 10,899 (discounted to Rs 9,999 in the early flash sale period). Existing phone owners wanting to subscribe to the content package would have to ante up Rs 450 a month separately or Rs 4,990 annually.

    LeEco’s plan to sell 100,000 of these phones through a flash sale on Flipkart on 12 May was a resounding success with the ecommerce site having to shut the registrations quickly. 70,000 of its devices were sold in two seconds.

    LeEco later launched the Le Eco Le 2 and Le Max 2 phones in India in July.

    And finally its latest line of LeEco Super 3 smart TVs launched in early August. The Super3 X55 is priced at Rs 59,790, Super3 X65 at Rs 99,790 and Super3 Max X65 at Rs 1,49,790. These are being made available for pre-sale on Flipkart, as well as LeEco’s e-commerce platform LeMall, from 10-12 August.

    It announced that the LeEco content ecosystem would be available to buyers of its Super TVs also which would allow them to access the movies and TV channels. All that they would have to do is download a software update.

    The LeEco content ecosystem has content from YuppTV, Eros Now, and Hungama.

    Its Yupp TV deal, under the brand Le Live, allows customers to watch Sony Entertainment, NDTV, Gemini Movies, 9X Tashan, Sun TV, Times Now, Nickelodeon, Colors, and others, in multiple Indian languages.

    Its Eros Now partnership allows it to offer 2,000 plus movie titles in various languages under the brand Le Vidi.

    Its Hungama relationship has resulted in the Le Music app under which users can listen to 3.5 million tracks and another bunch of live concerts (in partnership with iConcerts).

    The Le View app which users also have access to consists of curated YouTube content categorized into news and politics, science and technology.

    Will this strategy of bundling content with TV sets and phones work in India? Especially at a time when data usage costs are a dampener? And when cable TV and DTH are offering a slew of channels at low sticker prices. Observers doubt that the content that is on offer in the LeEco content system currently could be a driver for sparking off TV set sales; the TV sets would be bought on their own merit in comparison to the LG, Samsung, Sony, Vu, Videocon and Haier offerings.

    As far as phones are concerned it could be a different story on account of LeEco’s perceived quality and lower prices.

    “Whether they will use the services in their homes on their TV sets or not is a moot question,” points out a senior media observer. “The audience that is using Wifi to watch video in their homes is in nano proportions compared to DTH and cable TV. The content library is also not exclusive and alluring enough.”

    Adds another media expert: “Consumption on the phone seems a more likely bet because there is some amount of on the go viewing happening in India. Mobile service providers have already resorted to a round of bandwidth cost cuts in advance of the Reliance Jio launch. But even so costs are still too high for consumers to binge watch on the phone. Maybe another round of price cuts will come to pass and that will bring costs down further. We will have to wait and watch. ”

    LeEco could draw some inspiration from what it did in Hong Kong earlier this year. It coughed up $400 million for exclusive rights for the region for the English Premier League, probably the highest for Asia, to add to its catalogue of other sports and entertainment content.

    It then bundled its hardware and software into a promotional pack wherein customers subscribing to the Premier League matches for two years at a cost of HK $1,690 a year got a 40 inch TV set free. If customers opted for a more premium Premier League package at a cost of HK$2,490 per year for two years, they got their hands on a 43 inch TV set at no cost to them. The super sports plan also included access to LeEco’s newly secured English FA Cup and other international sporting events such as Major League Baseball (MLB), men’s and women’s China Super League and the Copa Libertadores soccer tournament in South America.

    LeSports chief executive Cheng Yizhong had then stated that “The days that users have to pay for their own device have gone and we are trying to develop a content-led platform for our users. They only have to pay for the content and the device will be given free.”

    “The promotion worked very well and the company notched up HK$27 million in buy-ins in over just two days,” says a Hong Kong based media expert.

    Indian media observers believe that LeEco will have to pick up rights to sports events like cricket or top Bollywood movies and these need to be exclusive for its device-content ecosystem package to work with the masses.

    “Tieups with Netflix are just incremental steps as its has barely 50,000-70,000 paying subscribers and the content there is not that expansive,” says the head of an ad agency. “If it has to get into the mass market it needs to offer fiction and non-fiction shows which will then pit it in competition with the existing majors such as Star, Sony, Colors and Zee. Now that is totally a different ball game. Exclusive sports and films could be alluring as well as sticky for subscribers. Look at how well Star’s hotstar does when the cricket comes up.”

    Another media observer points out that its game strategy could attract buyers. LeEco plans to put out more than 500 plus high end games on its content ecosystem, eliminating the need for consoles.

    “That could be a game changer for its content play,” says she. “Let’s not worry too much however. We are in the very early days of the OTT industry’s play out in India. Go back to the late nineties: no one believed that satellite TV and cable TV would really explode the way it has in the country. Yes, the different players will make mistakes, they will course correct, they will spend money, they will lose money, they will make profits, they will course correct again. But the good thing is that another optional mode of video delivery and for entertainment is being given the push in this country.”

  • Will LeEco’s device-content bundling strategy pay off in India?

    Will LeEco’s device-content bundling strategy pay off in India?

    MUMBAI: There’s a content acquirer on the prowl in India. And it is carrying a fat purse to buy and create the content. Chinese company Leshi Internet Information & Technology aka LeEco – introduced its Super3 TV sets in India last week – and a day later a whisper campaign started that it was going to spend top dollar to build a robust OTT content ecosystem to encourage uptake of the screens by Indian consumers.

    The figure being bandied about is US$200 million or Rs 1,330 crore, according to media reports. It reportedly is in talks with Netflix in the US to offer its content on its devices – which includes smart phones, TV sets, and even smart cars. And it has appointed a content head Harini Calamur whose job is to work with local producers, and distributors to build up its Indian content roster further.

    Its LeEco content ecosystem was launched earlier this year (in May 2016) when it introduced its Le 1S Eco phone at a price tage of Rs 10,899 (discounted to Rs 9,999 in the early flash sale period). Existing phone owners wanting to subscribe to the content package would have to ante up Rs 450 a month separately or Rs 4,990 annually.

    LeEco’s plan to sell 100,000 of these phones through a flash sale on Flipkart on 12 May was a resounding success with the ecommerce site having to shut the registrations quickly. 70,000 of its devices were sold in two seconds.

    LeEco later launched the Le Eco Le 2 and Le Max 2 phones in India in July.

    And finally its latest line of LeEco Super 3 smart TVs launched in early August. The Super3 X55 is priced at Rs 59,790, Super3 X65 at Rs 99,790 and Super3 Max X65 at Rs 1,49,790. These are being made available for pre-sale on Flipkart, as well as LeEco’s e-commerce platform LeMall, from 10-12 August.

    It announced that the LeEco content ecosystem would be available to buyers of its Super TVs also which would allow them to access the movies and TV channels. All that they would have to do is download a software update.

    The LeEco content ecosystem has content from YuppTV, Eros Now, and Hungama.

    Its Yupp TV deal, under the brand Le Live, allows customers to watch Sony Entertainment, NDTV, Gemini Movies, 9X Tashan, Sun TV, Times Now, Nickelodeon, Colors, and others, in multiple Indian languages.

    Its Eros Now partnership allows it to offer 2,000 plus movie titles in various languages under the brand Le Vidi.

    Its Hungama relationship has resulted in the Le Music app under which users can listen to 3.5 million tracks and another bunch of live concerts (in partnership with iConcerts).

    The Le View app which users also have access to consists of curated YouTube content categorized into news and politics, science and technology.

    Will this strategy of bundling content with TV sets and phones work in India? Especially at a time when data usage costs are a dampener? And when cable TV and DTH are offering a slew of channels at low sticker prices. Observers doubt that the content that is on offer in the LeEco content system currently could be a driver for sparking off TV set sales; the TV sets would be bought on their own merit in comparison to the LG, Samsung, Sony, Vu, Videocon and Haier offerings.

    As far as phones are concerned it could be a different story on account of LeEco’s perceived quality and lower prices.

    “Whether they will use the services in their homes on their TV sets or not is a moot question,” points out a senior media observer. “The audience that is using Wifi to watch video in their homes is in nano proportions compared to DTH and cable TV. The content library is also not exclusive and alluring enough.”

    Adds another media expert: “Consumption on the phone seems a more likely bet because there is some amount of on the go viewing happening in India. Mobile service providers have already resorted to a round of bandwidth cost cuts in advance of the Reliance Jio launch. But even so costs are still too high for consumers to binge watch on the phone. Maybe another round of price cuts will come to pass and that will bring costs down further. We will have to wait and watch. ”

    LeEco could draw some inspiration from what it did in Hong Kong earlier this year. It coughed up $400 million for exclusive rights for the region for the English Premier League, probably the highest for Asia, to add to its catalogue of other sports and entertainment content.

    It then bundled its hardware and software into a promotional pack wherein customers subscribing to the Premier League matches for two years at a cost of HK $1,690 a year got a 40 inch TV set free. If customers opted for a more premium Premier League package at a cost of HK$2,490 per year for two years, they got their hands on a 43 inch TV set at no cost to them. The super sports plan also included access to LeEco’s newly secured English FA Cup and other international sporting events such as Major League Baseball (MLB), men’s and women’s China Super League and the Copa Libertadores soccer tournament in South America.

    LeSports chief executive Cheng Yizhong had then stated that “The days that users have to pay for their own device have gone and we are trying to develop a content-led platform for our users. They only have to pay for the content and the device will be given free.”

    “The promotion worked very well and the company notched up HK$27 million in buy-ins in over just two days,” says a Hong Kong based media expert.

    Indian media observers believe that LeEco will have to pick up rights to sports events like cricket or top Bollywood movies and these need to be exclusive for its device-content ecosystem package to work with the masses.

    “Tieups with Netflix are just incremental steps as its has barely 50,000-70,000 paying subscribers and the content there is not that expansive,” says the head of an ad agency. “If it has to get into the mass market it needs to offer fiction and non-fiction shows which will then pit it in competition with the existing majors such as Star, Sony, Colors and Zee. Now that is totally a different ball game. Exclusive sports and films could be alluring as well as sticky for subscribers. Look at how well Star’s hotstar does when the cricket comes up.”

    Another media observer points out that its game strategy could attract buyers. LeEco plans to put out more than 500 plus high end games on its content ecosystem, eliminating the need for consoles.

    “That could be a game changer for its content play,” says she. “Let’s not worry too much however. We are in the very early days of the OTT industry’s play out in India. Go back to the late nineties: no one believed that satellite TV and cable TV would really explode the way it has in the country. Yes, the different players will make mistakes, they will course correct, they will spend money, they will lose money, they will make profits, they will course correct again. But the good thing is that another optional mode of video delivery and for entertainment is being given the push in this country.”

  • LeEco launches Super TVs; to invest Rs 1330 cr in Indian content

    LeEco launches Super TVs; to invest Rs 1330 cr in Indian content

    MUMBAI: LeEco claims to have ushered in new era of content integrated TVs in India with the launch of its Super3 series of Super TVs. Now there are strong indications or rumours that the company is now contemplating a slew of partnerships with leading names in the media -entertainment industry for content aggregation.

    Bolstering its content ecosystem seems logical for a company like LeEco that has been very vocal about its content proposition as its key differentiator. Now it appears to have seriously embarked on upping its content offerings across movies, drama, sports, games and more.

    It is speculated that LeEco is already in discussions with local content producers and international studios for content tie-ups and has started work towards developing in-house shows and formats.At the Super TVs launch event, the company made its intentions clear about looking at investing close to $200 million (Rs 1330 crores) into developing content for India, including its own produced content, over the next two to three years. If this is to be believed, then LeEco will really raise the bar in the industry when it comes to content integration into devices like smartphones & TVs.

    Currently LeEco claims that their Super TV users will get to access about 2000 Full HD/HD films from Hollywood and Bollywood, more than 100 satellite TV channels, 3.5 million songs (coming soon by software upgrade), and more than 50live concerts. Sources reveal that in the coming months, the global corporate will most likely acquire more than 1000+ hours of content and might offer more than 15 HD channels as part of Le Live to its users.

    It is also expected that LeEco will expand its offerings from entertainment to include popular games Rumour has it that LeEco will introduce over 500+ games in the next few months for its Super TVs and mobiles, eliminating the need for console gaming. These seem like ambitious moves and if true, will certainly makeLeEco a game-changer in the OTT-Content business in India.

    Globally as well, for its TV business, LeEco is reportedly significantly ramping up its activities. Last week it announced the US$2 billion acquisition of smart TV manufacturer Vizio. In a recent move, LeEco is also rumoured to be exploring a content deal with Netflix.

    This looks like an interesting time for the Smart devices industry both globally and in India. And content seems to be king-pin to lead this charge into the future.