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Sony debuts VoD service in Japan
MUMBAI: Sony has announced that “Video On Demand powered by Qriocity(TM)” will become available in Japan on 26 January across Sony 2010 and 2011 network-enabled Bravia TVs.
Video On Demand powered by Qriocity is a premium streaming video service, which allows users to choose from box office hits from NBC Universal International Television Distribution, Paramount Pictures, Sony Pictures Home Entertainment, Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment and Warner Bros. Entertainment. In addition, Japanese studios will offer select animation titles with early window exclusivity, as well as movies.
Initially, hundreds of titles will be available with more films to be added on a regular basis. Rental prices for HD content will range from 500-1000 yen while those for SD content will range from 350-700 yen. In addition to Sony 2010 and 2011, network-enabled Bravia TVs “Video On Demand powered by Qriocity” will become available across a variety of Sony‘s network-enabled devices.
Sony said the service enhances the value-proposition of hardware and offers a new way for customers to instantly enjoy the latest movies on their Bravia TVs.
Qriocity is an entertainment network service platform that connects many of Sony's network-enabled devices and allows consumers to enjoy high quality entertainment across multiple devices. Via Qriocity, Sony will deliver a variety of digital entertainment content and services that are “powered by Qriocity”, including video, music game applications, and e-books over time. Through these services, and in combination with its networked devices, Sony aims to bring new and exciting entertainment experiences to customers.
Movies available on the service include The Bourne Identity, Inception, The Last Airbender, Predators, and Resident Evil: Afterlife.
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.
