Reliance’s collaboration with Disney has led to the launch of JioHotstar, a platform which combines the features of JioCinema and Disney+ Hotstar into a single window content service. This is aimed at creating a multiservice Language specific, entertainment content provider.
What’s JioHotstar?
JioHotstar spearheaded the debut of Reliance’s JioCinema and Disney+ Hotstar merger – enhances brand recognition by consolidating the two sell-all stores on the Indian subcontinent. As a result, both the JioCinema and Disney+ Hotstar ceased to operate individually, with all programming now restricted to the JioHotsar platform.
JioHotstar Merger: Key Highlights of JioHotstar
Unified Streaming Platform: They now have a single-stop destination featuring the entire content catalog of JioCinema and Disney+ Hotstar.
Exclusive Sports Rights: The platform will continue to streaming the most valued sports competions in India such as the Indian Premier League (IPL), International Cricket Council (ICC) tournaments, and the English Premier League (EPL).
Hollywood and Indian Entertainment: With the addition of Disney, Warner Bros, HBO, NBC Universal Peacock and Paramount, JioHotstar can now cater to an international audience as well as regional viewers.
Updated Platform and App: The JioHotstar rebranding has also been integrated in both the JioCinema and Disney+ Hotstar apps, and further, both websites now redirect users to the JioHotstar platform.
Toward Existing Customers
With the launch of JioHotstar, current subscribers of JioCinema and Disney plus Hotstar will face some changes in their content consumption habits as well as in their subscription management activities.
Access and Migration: Users trying to access JioCinema or Disney Plus Hotstar apps or websites will automatically be moved to JioHotstar.
Subscription Transition: All current subscriptions of the two platforms will be honored for the next three months. After this timeframe, users will have to migrate to JioHotstar’s new plans.
Content Availability: A limited number of hours each month will allow access to free content and blockbusters; however, the majority of free Hollywood movies will continue to be paywalled.
New Subscription Plans
The rebranded JioHotstar service has introduced flexible subscriptions plans that include free and premium versions.
Free Tier: Allows customers to access most content with limited hour restrictions set monthly.
Premium Plans: Starting from ?149 a month, these plans give full access to the platform including Hollywood films and premium sports events.
How This Will Impact The Indian Streaming Market
Reliance and Disney’s collusion over Jio and Hotstar is set to merge. This change in the Indian entertainment business will be beneficial in competing against services such as Amazon Prime, Sony, and Netflix. India has an ever-growing competitive streaming market which is of exceeding interest to the competitors.
This bloc is also characteristic of the key trend in digital entertainment which is the growing consolidation of market leaders to improve the quality of services offered to their audience.
The merging of Hotstar and Jio is unprecedented due to the creation of an unparalleled entity in the Indian Digital space. The users will now be able to enjoy a seamless experience with a one-stop shop platform for movies, shows, and sports under the new and enhanced Jio Hotstar.
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