Applications
National TV digitisation driving IPTV growth in Asia
MUMBAI: IPTV subscriptions worldwide will grow at 70 per cent from 2012 to 2017 with 100 per cent growth in the Asia-Pacific off a large base of 28.5 million subscribers.
Global pay-TV subscribers will reach 853.5 million at the end of 2012 with 116 million IPTV subscribers, according to ABI Research.
Worldwide, cable operators are investing heavily in the digitisation of their networks to compete with satellite and IPTV platforms.
“Satellite and IPTV networks have been able to deliver better channel selection and higher quality signals than analog TV platforms. When faced with technology changes – including digital terrestrial (DTT) transitions and cable digitisation requiring a set-top box, customers are likely to consider satellite and IPTV alternatives,” notes Sam Rosen, practice director, TV & video.
Asia-Pacific is the region with the highest potential of growth due to its market size and growing economy. The region will account for more than 60 per cent of total net additions in 2012. The growth will depend mainly on China, India, and other countries with low pay-TV penetration such as Indonesia, Thailand, and Vietnam. Currently, less than 15 per cent of pay-TV subscribers in the region subscribe to high-definition (HD) services.
HD service adoption is highest in North America, followed by Western Europe and the Asia-Pacific. Key markets of the Asia-Pacific region, such as China and India, are carrying out nationwide cable TV digitisation. Digitisation is expected to increase HD services and adoption in in the years to come. More than 18 per cent of total pay-TV subscribers in the Asia-Pacific will subscriber to HD services in 2012.
Applications
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.
