iWorld
ShemarooMe splits the screen, not the attention
MUMBAI: Looks like binge-watchers can finally give their thumbs a rest. ShemarooMe has rolled out an industry-first Split UI, a smart new feature that puts personalisation front and centre, cutting through the OTT clutter to deliver exactly what viewers want, without the endless scroll.
With India’s OTT world bursting at the seams, users often find themselves lost in a maze of options. Split UI changes that by letting viewers begin their journey with their favourite genre. The app’s entire interface, navigation, and content suggestions then adapt to that choice, creating a smoother, more focused entertainment experience.
Since its launch across Android and Ios, over 76 per cent of ShemarooMe users have already switched to the new interface, a sign that audiences are ready for cleaner, smarter streaming.
“OTT fatigue is real. Users don’t want to scroll endlessly, they want to watch,” said Shemaroo Entertainment Ltd. COO – digital Business Saurabh Srivastava. “With Split UI, we’ve made choice effortless and content discovery truly personal. The response so far shows it’s hitting the right note.”
ShemarooMe is the first platform in India to introduce such deep interface-level segmentation, going beyond simple recommendation algorithms to redefine how audiences interact with OTT.
The feature will soon expand to Android TV and other connected platforms, because when it comes to streaming, ShemarooMe clearly believes less browsing, more watching is the real showstopper.
iWorld
WhatsApp may soon let users to pick who sees their status updates
The messaging giant is borrowing a page from Instagram’s playbook as it pushes to give users finer control over their social circles.
CALIFORNIA: WhatsApp is quietly working on a feature that could make its Status function considerably smarter and considerably more private.
According to reports from beta tracking platforms, the app is testing a tool called Status lists, which would allow users to create named groups such as close friends, family and colleagues, and control precisely which group sees each update. It is a meaningful step up from the platform’s current blunt instruments, which offer only three options: share with all contacts, exclude specific people, or manually select individuals each time.
The new feature draws an obvious comparison with Instagram’s Close Friends function, and the resemblance is unlikely to be accidental. Both platforms sit within Meta’s family, and the company has been nudging them toward a common logic of audience segmentation for some time.
The move also fits neatly into WhatsApp’s broader privacy push. The platform has been rolling out enhanced chat protections and is exploring the introduction of usernames, which would allow users to connect without exchanging phone numbers. Status lists extend that philosophy from messaging into broadcasting.
Meanwhile, Status itself has been evolving well beyond its origins as a simple photo-and-text slideshow. The feature now supports music stickers, collages, longer videos and interactive elements, pushing it closer to the social-media-style story format pioneered by Snapchat and refined by Instagram. In that context, finer audience controls are not merely a privacy feature. They are a precondition for people sharing more.
The feature remains in development and has not been confirmed for release. WhatsApp routinely tests tools that are later modified or quietly shelved. But the direction of travel is clear: the app wants Status to be a destination, not an afterthought. Letting users decide exactly who is in the audience is how it gets there.
