Mobile and data services operator Zain and internet TV service iflix have established ‘iflix Arabia’, a joint venture aimed at bringing iflixs internet TV to the MENA region. Headquartered in Dubai, iflix Arabia will add Kuwait, Bahrain, Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon, Saudi Arabia and Sudan to iflixs global footprint. The commercial launch of iflixs internet TV service […]
Mobile and data services operator Zain and internet TV service iflix have established ‘iflix Arabia’, a joint venture aimed at bringing iflixs internet TV to the MENA region. Headquartered in Dubai, iflix Arabia will add Kuwait, Bahrain, Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon, Saudi Arabia and Sudan to iflixs global footprint.
The commercial launch of iflixs internet TV service across the MENA region is planned for Q2 of 2017, it was announced at an event held in Kuwait today. With over 170 studio and distributor relationships worldwide, iflix offers users a wide selection of programmes and the service will now bring a range of TV shows and movies with Arabic and English subtitles to MENA customers. Along with Hollywood, Bollywood and regional programmes, the service will offer more than 2,000 episodes of childrens content. The iflix repertoire will also include an extensive collection of Arabic shows and movies and original Arabic series.
Iflix, which was first launched in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia in 2014 has more than 4m subscribers in Asian territories including Malaysia, Thailand, the Philippines, Indonesia, Sri Lanka, Brunei, the Maldives and Pakistan. Through this venture, the service can potentially tap into Zains 47m customers in the MENA region, which is home to 300-400m tech savvy and connected youth.
Iflix subscription charges range between $2.5 and $4. The MENA service is also expected to be priced in the same range although the exact price of the package has not been revealed yet. By offering affordable content to viewers, iflix claims to be a legal alternative to piracy that eats into at least $6bn worth of entertainment industry’s revenue annually.
Commenting on the partnership, Bader Al Kharafi, Vice President of Zain Group, said: The establishment of the joint venture iflix Arabia instantly creates enormous value for both Zain and iflix stakeholders, given the synergies created and the new revenue streams that will be generated by the expected take-up of this appealing internet TV service from the general public and Zain customers. This is a monumental step forward for Zain in our journey to become the premier digital lifestyle provider in the MENA region.
Iflix Co-Founder and Group CEO, Mark Britt added: Zain is a true pioneer in innovation with a deep understanding of the culture and evolution of digital businesses. This collaboration represents an exciting step in iflixs growth story as we launch in the MENA region with a partner who shares our vision and commitment to deliver an outstanding service and create awesome experiences for our customers.
iflixs propriety compression and adaptive bit rate technology enables the service to stream smoothly on low internet speeds. Each subscription allows users to access the service on up to five devices, including phones, laptops, tablets, and television sets, for viewing wherever, whenever. A special feature for iflix subscribers is that they can also download TV shows and movies from iflixs extensive catalogue for offline viewing.
