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Amazon unveils new streaming giant: Amazon MX Player
A monumental merger in India’s streaming landscape
Amazon India has made a significant stride in the streaming world by merging MX Player with its AVOD platform, Amazon miniTV. The amalgamation has resulted in a new, formidable free streaming service known as Amazon MX Player, which now boasts an impressive user base of over 250 million unique individuals in India.
Diverse content for a varied audience
Amazon MX Player isn’t just another streaming service; it’s a melting pot of diverse and high-quality content. Subscribers will have access to a wide range of original shows such as Aashram, Dharavi Bank, and Campus Diaries. Moreover, the platform features a collection of Korean, Mandarin, and Turkish dramas, all dubbed in various Indian languages for the local audience.
Users can enjoy this rich assortment through multiple interfaces, including mobile apps, Amazon’s shopping app, Prime Video, Fire TV, and connected TVs. This multi-platform availability ensures smooth and accessible viewing experiences for everyone.
The evolution of MX Player
MX Player’s journey is a testament to transformative vision and strategic acquisitions. Initially developed by J2 Interactive in South Korea as a cross-platform media player, MX Player caught significant attention. In June 2018, Times Internet, a segment of India’s colossal Times conglomerate, acquired a controlling stake in MX Player for $140 million. The platform was then re-launched as a video streaming service and positioned itself effectively in the Indian market.
Under the guidance of Karan Bedi, the former COO of Eros Now, MX Player grew rapidly. The merger with Amazon is speculated to have a lower deal value than the initial acquisition, however, it presents a golden opportunity for integrating high-quality entertainment with state-of-the-art technology.
Strategic synergy: Technology meets reach
Girish Prabhu, head of Amazon Advertising India, emphasized that this merger is a game-changer, combining MX Player’s extensive reach with Amazon’s sophisticated advertising technology. This integration is aimed at delivering targeted advertising to a vast and engaged user base across India, presenting an unparalleled opportunity for brands.
Karan Bedi, now leading the newly formed platform, remarked on the synergy: “This merger allows us to swiftly offer high-quality entertainment and superior streaming experiences, something we couldn’t have achieved independently, all while keeping the service free.”
A tech renaissance: Freely joins forces with Amazon Fire TV
In another exciting development, Freely, the UK’s free streaming platform, has struck a deal with Amazon Fire TV. This collaboration will see Freely integrated into Amazon’s Fire TV smart TVs and other Fire TV OS-enabled devices starting this fall. Launched in April 2024, Freely offers a spectacular selection of live and on-demand content from prestigious broadcasters like the BBC, ITV, Channel 4, and Channel 5.
Freely’s integration will span across various Amazon Fire TV models such as the 2-Series and 4-Series, as well as TCL and Panasonic models that run the Fire TV OS. This move considerably expands Freely’s presence, which already graces Hisense, Bush, Toshiba, and Panasonic TVs featuring the TiVo OS. More smart TV and OS providers are expected to join this ever-growing roster, amplifying its outreach.
Looking forward: Charting the future of streaming
The confluence of MX Player and Amazon miniTV illustrates the evolving dynamics of the streaming industry, particularly in emerging markets like India. This merger is poised to redefine the contours of free streaming services, setting a new benchmark for content diversity, technological innovation, and user engagement.
With this strategic pivot, Amazon not only solidifies its footprint in the rapidly expanding Indian market but also sets a precedent for the future integration of technology and entertainment.
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