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Paramount revamps app with short videos to boost mobile viewer engagement
Streaming giant borrows from TikTok playbook to drive daily usage on phones
LOS ANGELES: Paramount Skydance is giving its streaming strategy a mobile-first twist, rolling out a redesigned version of its Paramount+ app that leans heavily on short-form video to capture viewer attention, according to a Reuters report.
The updated app, currently available to iPhone users via Apple, features scrollable clips such as sports highlights, news snippets, UFC moments and trailers. The idea is simple but effective: get users to open the app multiple times a day, much like they do with TikTok or Instagram.
By encouraging repeat visits, Paramount is betting it can deepen engagement and unlock new features such as real-time statistics during live events and interactive viewing elements. The approach reflects a broader industry shift, where streaming platforms are borrowing cues from social media to stay relevant in an increasingly crowded market.
The stakes are high. In the first quarter of 2026, Paramount accounted for just 2 percent of global app-based streaming, trailing rivals such as Netflix, HBO Max and Peacock, according to data cited by Reuters. Even a potential combination with Warner Bros Discovery would only place it fourth in the streaming rankings.
Meanwhile, YouTube, owned by Google, continues to dominate the mobile video space, boasting user numbers far ahead of Paramount+. This gap has pushed traditional studios to rethink how audiences discover and consume content.
Industry insiders suggest Paramount could go further by experimenting with micro dramas or tapping digital creators to draw in younger viewers. Rivals are already moving in that direction. Netflix is investing in video podcasts featuring names like Pete Davidson, Michael Irvin and Brian Williams, while Amazon has teamed up with Jimmy Donaldson for a reality series.
There are also hints of potential collaboration with TikTok, given shared links to Larry Ellison of Oracle, though both companies have said no formal agreement exists.
The revamp is part of a wider overhaul of Paramount’s streaming operations, including both Paramount+ and Pluto TV, as the company looks to sharpen its competitive edge.
In a market where attention spans are shrinking, Paramount’s latest move signals a clear pivot. If viewers will not come to long-form content, the strategy suggests, then perhaps the content must first meet them in short bursts.
