MultiChoice Plans To Launch DStv Now As A Standalone Service From Next Year To Compete With Netflix

MultiChoice announces its plans to launch DStv Now app as a standalone service from next year March which means you may not need a dish installed to enjoy DStv services.

With many entertainment options available on mobile phones and tablets, it is pretty easy to get jettison the idea of watching TV on one spot. While this may get viewers confused with a variety of options, cable TVs are getting more innovative by the day.  Multichoice is popular for its DStv satellite service in Africa with a huge presence in Nigeria and other African countries.

With the emergence of video on demand streaming sites, a service offered by Netflix, other satellite TVs have been forced to go innovative. MultiChoice Africa, the parent company of satellite TV services DStv and GOtv, announced that it will begin testing its DStv Now app as a standing alone service.

DStv Now was introduced in 2014 as an internet-based Video on Demand platform. This platform provides viewers with DStv content in sports, shows, and movies on Catch Up on mobile phones and tablets.

Multichoice launched the DStv Now app on Apple TV, Samsung Smart TVs, and media players running Android TV. It now wants to launch the app independently before the end of March 2020 after the testing phase.

Apparently, this new development is an innovation to ward off Netflix from the African market. With the Netflix app, you can watch thousands of series and movies whenever you want on your tablet.

The major players in the market are Netflix and Showmax, owned by the same company (Naspers) that operates DStv. With Netflix, viewers can have a whopping one-month free trial to try out the service with loads of local and international TV shows, documentaries and stand-up comedies.  When it comes to Showmax, however, viewers get only 14 days as a free trial to test the service with a large focus on local content for African subscribers.

Showmax subscribers can also connect to multiple devices. With this, every member of the family can enjoy a slice of the price of the price that you pay. On Netflix, however, subscribers spend more to connect more devices.

If MutiChoice plans to Launch DStv Now as a stand-alone app, it might consider to offer subscribers more than what its sister company Showmax already offers to compete against Netflix.

MultiChoice revealed that DStv and Showmax achieved a 48% growth year on year, with Showamax waxing on a 19% year or year increase. For the cable TV, it is a huge one and it wants to capitalise on it and considering a stand-alone app for DStv now will be good to fend off Netflix.