Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia – Aimed at bridging the gap between availability and accessibility of local content millenials love, Malaysian streaming platform sooka has recently been launched, which will offer a diversity of global content such as live sports, as well as hyperlocal content.

According to the company, sooka is on the path to create more hyper local, relevant content, and making it more accessible than ever before to a mobile-first entertainment audience. These include Malaysian dramas and entertainment programs, and of course, sooka exclusives and originals that aim to resonate with millennials on a mobile-based streaming platform.

Aside from the free tier the streaming service offers, sooka is also offering two-tier options: ‘VIP+Sports’ plan priced at RM41.90 per month for avid sports fans to experience unlimited and first-hand access to the best live sports actions all year round; and ‘VIP Entertainment’ plan which is priced at RM15.90 per month that unlocks the best Malaysian entertainment content from local dramas, variety shows, and movies, as well as sooka exclusives and originals.

As part of the ‘VIP+Sports’ plan, there is also an exclusive promotion in conjunction with the upcoming football event UEFA Euro, where sports enthusiasts can enjoy all 51 UEFA EURO 2020 live matches, and other ground-breaking live sports actions, alongside much-loved Malaysian entertainment and local exclusives and originals under the price of RM15.90 per month.

According to Emarina Mohd Kamal, head of programming at sooka, they believe that the platform’s launch comes at a time where users today are now embracing a mobile-first lifestyle and as such are attuned to consuming content online. Furthermore, Kamal states as well that the shift in viewing trends had consumers rapidly embracing the ‘new normal’ digital lifestyle, and great content has become a vital digital asset.

“It is of no surprise that they are reliant on their smartphones and active on social media, and constantly search for great content that they can consume on-the-go immediately from their mobile devices. sooka’s content is curated for this immediate consumption, at affordable price points and simple plans, and we invite all millennials to try sooka,” Kamal said.

She also explained that the platform’s main differentiator is its ability to deliver live sports streaming for passionate fans to enjoy on their mobile devices, enabling them to get their sports ‘fix’ anytime and anywhere. She added that the platform has a strong sports content line up until year-end and will continue to strengthen their sports proposition in order to bring the best for Malaysian sports fans.

“In addition, we are thrilled to offer a deep, current and curated library of premium Malay day-date drama series, movies, LIVE variety, and entertainment plus Chinese and Indian shows to satisfy local viewing preferences. We are also working with the industry’s best creators and production houses to create fresh and engaging originals specifically targeted at millennials, so expect to see more of these in the months to come,” she concluded.

Singapore – As more and more people are stuck in lockdown during the pandemic, over-the-top (OTT) mobile streaming has garnered mainstream success, new study from mobile app analytics platform Adjust shows.

According to the recently published data, 52.5% of consumers worldwide have used smartphones to stream more video content, and 12% of consumers are streaming less — which means four times more consumers are mobile streaming. 

In terms of streaming frequency, China led the survey, with around 93.8%of users admitting to do mobile streaming at least once a day. This is then followed by South Korea (86.2%), Singapore (83.7%), Turkey (91.9%), United States (69.4%), Japan (57.2%) and the United Kingdom (45.7%).

South Korea led the study’s data on willingness to spend a sizable amount for streaming and on-demand entertainment services, averaging to US$42.68 a month, compared to its Western counterparts, the United States (US$33.58) and the United Kingdom (USD$34.82).

“This drastic shift to routine mobile streaming around the world and across generations has created massive advertising opportunities and a new role for mobile analytics. By understanding how and when consumers stream, as well as which channels and campaigns deliver the highest marketing impact, the potential to build a large, loyal user-base with high lifetime value is virtually limitless,” said Gijsbert Pols, lead product strategist at Adjust.

The study also found out that more than three quarters (76%) of all respondents use their mobile phone while watching television, viewed as ‘second-screeners’, with this viewing behavior most pronounced in Singapore and China (both 85%), closely followed by the U.S. (83%).

Furthermore, social apps are the number one choice for second-screeners — favored by 65.4% of respondents, on average, followed by banking (54.9%) and gaming (44.9%). Second-screeners in APAC have a healthy appetite for food delivery apps, with use strongest in China (65.2%), Korea (36.6%) and Singapore (48.2%). 

Singapore – Digital media company Limelight Networks has unveiled a new enhancement for its streaming service Limelight Realtime Streaming – providing sub-second latency for time-sensitive video applications that enable live interaction with viewers.

In a press statement, Limelight Networks said Realtime Streaming is part of the widest range of low latency online streaming solutions in the industry that solve the perpetual challenge of delays in event broadcasts. In addition, Realtime Streaming mobile and HTML software development kits (SDKs) can also provide easy integration of interactive live applications with Limelight’s global private network.

Limelight Networks said the improved platform allows live video applications in areas such as:

  • Live sports—In-event betting allowing fans to bet on in-game outcomes while the game is being played.
  • Live auctions—Remote bidders can participate through a livestream and have a “just like being there” experience along with those on-site.
  • Online gaming—Online casinos can allow all players to instantly see table action and to place bets more quickly, increasing the number of hands that can be played each hour.

“As online video has quickly grown in popularity, performance expectations have increased and new technologies, such as Limelight Realtime Streaming, enable innovative new ways to engage audiences. Now live events are truly live with the lowest possible latency, and it’s possible to create interactive experiences that were never before possible,” stated Nigel Burmeister, vice president at Limelight Networks