iWorld
Video Lighting up Data and Smartphones, Says Hotstar
MUMBAI: Releasing the first India Watch Report 2018, Hotstar, India’s leading premium streaming platform, today shared insights on the dramatic transformation sweeping the Internet landscape in India. In a first of its kind report for any streaming platform in the world, the service has disclosed usage patterns on its platform.
The big news? Nearly 5 times growth in video consumption in the last 12 months, with 96 percent of all usage being focused on long form video. This marks an inflexion point in India where the early years of online video were characterized by short form consumption from users deeply fearful of data charges. The last 12 months have also seen access to data and consumption of video go deeper into inner India. The report shared that growth in smaller cities, less than 10 lakh in population, outstripped that in the large metros. And, while the gender gap in access to data persists, affordability is opening up new opportunities for women, with women in smaller cities coming online faster than in the metros.
Speaking about the report, Ajit Mohan, CEO, Hotstar said, “A new generation of users are emerging in India who take for granted round the clock access to the best stories; who know that they can watch the best shows from around the world at the same time as the world (and sometimes way ahead of most of the world); who do not worry about being forced to skip their team’s weekend football games because they are not at home in front of their television; and who have the implicit faith that all breaking news will reach them without any effort on their part.”
Other highlights from the report:
· Streaming video has hit critical momentum. The Champion’s Trophy Final 2017 on Hotstar hit 4.8 million simultaneous viewers, a record!
·Streaming habits have gone well beyond being ‘snacky’ time fillers. More and more users are treating the mobile as their first screen.
· Streamers don’t follow stereotypes. Data reveals that consumption habits cut across stereotypes and traditional boundaries. 26% of Game of Thrones viewers also watched Hindi TV shows; 24% of Modern Family viewers watched cricket; and 50% of watch time of Star Plus’s show Yeh Rishta Kya Kehlata Hai, came from men.
·While cricket still rules the roost, other sports are sprouting well. VIVO IPL consumption grew nearly 7 times between 2016 and 2017. However, VIVO Pro Kabbadi and Premier League also grew nearly 10 times.
e-commerce
American Express to acquire AI startup Hyper to boost automation
Deal targets expense management as AI reshapes corporate spending tools.
MUMBAI: From receipts to robots, the expense sheet is getting a brain upgrade as American Express moves to bring artificial intelligence into the heart of corporate spending. The company has announced plans to acquire Hyper, a relatively young but fast-rising startup founded in 2022 that builds AI-powered agents capable of organising expenses, generating reports, verifying compliance with budgets and policies, and nudging users with timely reminders. The deal, expected to close in the second quarter of 2026, underscores a growing shift among financial institutions to automate traditionally manual, time-heavy workflows.
Hyper counts Sam Altman among its backers, adding a layer of Silicon Valley credibility to the acquisition. While financial details remain undisclosed, the strategic intent is clear: deepen automation capabilities and sharpen American Express’s position in the competitive corporate spending ecosystem.
The two companies are not strangers. They previously collaborated in 2024 on a co-branded credit card product, suggesting that the acquisition is less a cold buy and more an extension of an existing relationship. With this move, American Express is effectively bringing that capability in-house, aiming to embed AI directly into its commercial services stack.
Chief executive Stephen Squeri had already signalled the direction of travel in a recent shareholder letter, describing AI as a “structural shift” in how businesses operate. The Hyper acquisition appears to be a direct response to that shift, particularly in expense management, where processes such as approvals, compliance checks and reporting remain ripe for automation.
Alongside the acquisition, the company is also expanding its product suite. A recently launched business credit card offers cashback and benefits at an annual fee of $295, with another card expected later this year moves that complement its broader push into commercial services.
Taken together, the strategy points to a future where managing expenses may require fewer spreadsheets and more algorithms. For American Express, the bet is simple, if businesses are rethinking how work gets done, the tools that power that work need to evolve just as quickly.
