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NDS supports launch of Astro’s VOD service
MUMBAI: NDS will provide an advanced user interface for Astro, Malaysia’s largest pay-TV operator, to support the launch of an enhanced video on demand (VOD) service as part of the Astro B.yond platform.
The enhanced user interface enables subscribers to easily order VOD services without having to contact the customer service centre. This solution greatly enhances the Astro VOD service, including through their pure IPTV service.
Acknowledging the demand for their on-demand service and the increasing penetration of broadband in Malaysia, Astro has chosen to upgrade their VOD service to enable advanced functionality, including the ability to purchase previously broadcast programmes, a whole series, or access subscription-based VOD services through a more advanced and user-friendly user interface.
Astro Chief Innovation Officer Brian Lenz commented: “We pride ourselves on providing innovative services and quality content to our subscribers and this deployment combines the two by enabling our subscribers to easily access, purchase and enjoy our on-demand content library.” He added “NDS has supported us in a number of deployments to enhance our platform and we value their ongoing commitment to enriching our service.”
NDS SVP and GM Asia Pacific Sue Taylor added, “The Astro platform is one of the most advanced in Asia and this development will enhance their on-demand offering to support increased ARPU from subscribers. As an innovator in the market, Astro strive to provide their subscribers with advanced services that will enhance their experience and we are proud to be their technology partner of choice.”
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With 57 per cent single new users, Ashley Madison rebrands as discreet dating platform
Platform says majority of new members now identify as single
INDIA: Ashley Madison is shedding the “married-dating” label that defined it for two decades, repositioning itself as a platform for discreet dating in what it calls the post-social media age.
The rebrand, unveiled in India on 27 February, 2026, marks a structural shift in business model and identity. Once synonymous with married dating, the company now describes itself as the “premier destination for discreet dating” under a new tagline: Where Desire Meets Discretion.
The pivot is data-driven. Internal figures show that 57 per cent of global sign-ups between 1 January and 31 December, 2025 identified as single: a notable departure from the platform’s married core. The company argues that its community has already evolved beyond its original positioning.
“In an age where our lives have been constantly put on public display, privacy has become the new luxury,” said Ashley Madison chief strategy officer Paul Keable. He framed the platform’s offering as “ethical discretion” for singles, separated, divorced and non-monogamous users seeking private connections.
The shift also taps into wider digital fatigue. A global survey conducted by YouGov for Ashley Madison, covering 13,071 adults across Australia, Brazil, Canada, Germany, India, Italy, Mexico, Spain, Switzerland, the UK and the US, found mounting discomfort with hyper-public online lives.
Among dating app users, 30 per cent cited constant swiping and messaging as a source of fatigue, while 24 per cent pointed to pressure to curate public-facing profiles and early personal disclosure. Some 27 per cent said fears of screenshots or information being shared contributed to exhaustion; an equal share cited unwanted attention.
The retreat from oversharing appears broader. According to the survey, 46 per cent of adults actively try to keep most aspects of their life private online. Only 8 per cent feel comfortable sharing most aspects publicly, while 35 per cent say they are becoming more selective about what they disclose.
Ashley Madison is betting that this cultural recalibration towards controlled visibility can be monetised. By doubling down on privacy infrastructure and reframing itself around discretion rather than infidelity, the company is attempting to convert reputational baggage into a premium proposition.
