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OTT viewers are frustrated with juggling between 2-3 platforms on average to catch the latest content. - As more expansion in the market is expected, an aggregator is on the horizon that can bring the best and offer it under one roof.
- According to a recent report from PwC, the OTT market is now ripe for aggregation.
Before the CRED fintech app was launched, Indian consumers downloaded at least 2-3 banking apps to pay their credit bills. CRED identified this gap and consolidated them all under one platform, for a small commission.
The next market in dire need of aggregation is the OTT market – it has about
55 offer.
“The largest streaming services on the market are Disney+ Hotstar, Amazon and Netflix. The country also has a wide range of smaller local SVODs, including amenities from local broadcasters such as Zee TV and premium cinema providers such as Eros Now. Due to its size and diversity, the market is ripe for aggregation,” according to a report from PwC.
Many streaming services, many more subscriptions
Aside from the national offerings, Indian OTTs have become specialized and niche over time with regional offerings like Hoichoi, Aha, Sun Nxt and more. As more expansion in the market is expected, an aggregator is on the horizon that can bring the best and offer it under one roof.
In reality,
Most
According to media consultancy Ormax Media, the average number of video streaming subscriptions per person has reached 2.4 in India – as no one can replace OTT what hundreds of channels previously offered.
Currently, platforms such as Tata Play, YuppTV Scope, ScreenHits TV and Airtel offer subscriptions to a few OTT services under one roof – but the choice is limited, as in the case of Amazon Prime.
Mumbai resident Khushboo Alag, 33, watches content about four
“I’ve tried a number of aggregators, but haven’t found one that offers a personalized experience yet. Existing apps haven’t helped and I’m still looking for that one space where I can just log in and see all the content I’m interested in,” says Alag.
Some entertainment enthusiasts have bought a smart television or fire stick to easily juggle through various OTT platforms on their television.
Firestick just isn’t enough, users say
Vaamanaa Sethi, a resident of Delhi, is one such user who can access Amazon Prime, Disney+ Hotstar, Netflix and ZEE5 thanks to her firestick.
“We need an aggregator that allows us to select which movie we want to watch under one roof. If I want to watch a movie and it’s not on Netflix, I can easily switch to Amazon Prime. I don’t want to struggle,” Sethi says.
Then there is the problem of managing and paying for multiple subscriptions. Chaittali Dave, a Mumbai native who is the mother of twins, said she cannot watch OTT content on her television set. She hopes to find a mobile-agnostic aggregator.
“I cannot watch Mirzapur on television in front of my children. You can use a fire stick or Tata Play if you live with a nuclear family,” says Dave.
The 23-year-old Mumbai native Shraddha Khaire is above all a movie buff. She has subscribed to 6-8 OTT apps and says it was a frustrating experience for her to pay a premium price for one movie.
“There have been times when I had to subscribe to a brand new OTT just to see that one show or movie, and let’s not forget the premium cost for the same thing,” Khaire said.
Her experience with teleco aggregators was also not very pleasant. She hopes that a new aggregator will make the whole experience very seamless, simple and efficient for me as a regular user of various OTTs like her.
“There will be a single login, a single ID to access multiple platforms. While telcos like Jio and Airtel, DTH services like Tata Sky, etc., offer a range of OTT services but you need a connection to these services to access the OTTs. Overall, I think if there was a platform that offered access to a bundle of more streaming services, I wouldn’t mind going for it,” Khaire added.