DStv Now apps come to more devices

MultiChoice has launched three new apps for its DStv Now streaming service, for Apple TV, media players running Android TV and Samsung smart TVs.

The pay-television operator said on Wednesday that the new apps are designed for a “lean-back experience”.

The new apps work on Apple TV (fourth generation and newer), Samsung smart TVs (selected models from 2015 and newer) and media players runner Android TV (Google-certified devices only).

Apps are will added soon for additional smart TV brands, MultiChoice said in a statement.

DStv Now was launched in 2014 and was originally designed as a mobile-first product, with apps for Android and iOS smartphones and tablets. “Over time, however, new usage cases have emerged such as providing an easy way get all DStv’s content onto TVs not connected to a decoder,” the company said.

“The idea when we launched DStv Now was to give DStv subscribers a way to catch the big game and their favourite shows while away from home,” said MultiChoice South Africa chief operating officer Mark Rayner.

“What’s surprised us is how popular it’s also been as a method of getting DStv content on to other TVs around the home. By adding these new apps, we’ve made that process a whole lot easier and more convenient — no fussing with cables or casting, and no decoder needed.”

DStv Now is available free to all DStv subscribers, with the specific content available linked to the customer’s DStv package. Two different streams can be viewed on separate devices simultaneously.

Streaming-only service

The additional apps come after MultiChoice South Africa CEO Calvo Mawela revealed in an interview with TechCentral in May that the company will launch a streaming-only version of DStv.

Though the streaming product is unlikely to debut in 2018 — and Mawela hinted that it is more likely to arrive in 2019 — various technical and marketing teams at the pay-TV broadcaster are working hard on bringing it to market.

A streaming-only version of DStv will not require a satellite dish to receive signals, rather relying on the Internet to deliver channels and on-demand content, Mawela said in a podcast interview.

“We are in the early stages of the development of this and it’s in line with what DStv Now offers. We want to improve it to get it to a stage where we can go fully to market on this,” he said.

This includes developing costing — looking at “what pricing levels will be acceptable” to its customers and the impact it will have on its direct-to-home (DTH) satellite business — and figuring out the broader go-to-market strategy.  — © 2018 NewsCentral Media