Tata Sky recently became Tata Play and started offering a clutch of OTT channels under one app. Offering a similar consolidation of streaming platforms in a single app, Bharti Airtel today launched a new video streaming service called “Xstream Premium”.
The new service will aggregate content from 15 leading video Apps with a single login, single search and single subscription at an introductory price of Rs 149 per month, the company said in a statement.
The service, the company said, is exclusively available to Airtel customers on all screens including TV, smartphone, tablets and PC.
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Why consolidation of OTT platforms in one app
Such consolidation or bundling of various OTT platforms in one app is inevitable, considering that there are close to 60 to 70 active streamers in various languages in India, and following them separately can be cumbersome and even costly for many.
This amalgamation of OTT platforms is being done by both telecom operators --- Jio, for example --- and also DTH platforms that are finding business floundering due to the fact that all action is now on streamers. Jio already offers to its broadband and mobile subscribers a bouquet of OTT platforms for free. The number of OTT platforms that Jio offers is dependent on the subscription plan one has chosen with it.
The DTH platform Tata Sky, now christened Tata Play, is also offering a Binge package in one app that for a monthly fee gives a rafter of OTT platforms including Netflix and Amazon Prime.
As it happens, Amazon Prime Video itself has launched 'Prime Video Channels', in which it is offering content from 8 other OTT video platforms. Those are accessible from within the Amazon Prime Video app itself.
And now, Airtel, which is both a telecom company and a DTH player (its Airtel TV is what became Airtel Xstream, which is a combination of satellite TV channels, major OTT services, music streaming and gaming) is taking the same route.
Airtel XStream Premium aims for 20 million subscription
Airtel XStream Premium, launched today, will also aggregate content from Indian and global video OTTs in one app. Customers will get access to 15 OTT platforms that it says has a combined catalogue of over 10,500 movies & shows plus live channels.
The platforms in Airtel XStream Premium are: SonyLIV, ErosNow, Lionsgate Play, Hoichoi, ManoramaMax, Shemaroo, Ultra, HungamaPlay, EPICon, Docubay, DivoTV, Klikk, Nammaflix, Dollywood, Shorts TV.
Users can access Airtel Xstream Premium across mobiles, tablets, laptops through the app or web and on the TV through the Xstream set-top-box.
As it is a single sign-in, unified content search and AI driven personalized curation is available for users.
According to Media Partners Asia, by 2025, India’s OTT subscription market is expected to grow to $2 billion from the current $500 million. A number of content houses have their OTT apps but are said to be facing pricing and distribution challenges. Ergo, the arrival of such consolidation apps with reach and scale in the market.
Airtel is targeting 20 million subscriptions through this offering and is collaborating with many more OTT players, the company said.
Also, Airtel is also mulling a differential pricing package system that will take into account the number of OTT platforms that an user wants to subscribe.
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