iWorld
SonyLIV records 596 million interactions for KBC Play Along
MUMBAI: In yet another pioneering initiative, SonyLIV’s Play Along has garnered a landmark 596 million interactions for the 10th season of the reality show. The user engagement initiative has registered 8.2 million users with total time spent of over 47 million hours. Tapping almost 360 million smart-phone users, KBC Play Along was SonyLIV’s effort to bring the audience closer to its most favourite reality show, within the comfort of their homes.
If the consumption patterns are to go by, Play Along got a thumbs up from the audience right from day one of the show hosted by Mr. Amitabh Bachchan. Given the proliferation of internet users amongst youth, almost 76.7% players who glued onto the feature were between 18-40 years, primarily the millennials. However, the momentum wasn’t confined to the urban netizens only. KBC Play Along saw phenomenal response across the country within the Hindi belt – Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Bihar, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Rajasthan, Haryana and Himachal Pradesh accounting for 54.5% of the players.
Much like FIFA 2018, SonyLIV continued to bust myths about digital engagement with Play Along which fetched as high as 69.8% participation from beyond 6 metros along with a remarkable rise in female viewership. KBC Play Along not only spiked SonyLIV subscriptions notches higher but also increased KBC led app downloads by 7.3 million.
iWorld
WhatsApp tests ‘WhatsApp Plus’ paid subscription tier
€2.49 plan adds customisation tools, messaging and calls remain free.
MUMBAI: Your chats may soon get a glow-up at a small monthly price. WhatsApp is testing a new paid subscription tier called ‘WhatsApp Plus’, signalling a shift towards premium personalisation features while keeping its core services free. The feature is currently being rolled out to a limited set of Android beta users, with early reports from WABetaInfo indicating a price of €2.49 per month (approximately Rs 274). Meta has confirmed the test, stating that it is designed for users who want more control over how they customise and organise their app experience.
Importantly, the subscription remains optional. Core functionalities including messaging, voice calls and community features will continue to be available free of charge, ensuring that the platform’s primary use case remains unchanged.
Instead, WhatsApp Plus focuses on aesthetic and organisational upgrades. These include exclusive sticker packs, new themes, custom app icons and personalised notification tones. On the functional side, subscribers may be able to pin up to 20 chats significantly higher than the current limit of three along with access to custom chat lists and enhanced categorisation tools.
Industry observers suggest the offering is largely cosmetic. Social media consultant Matt Navarra noted that the features lean more towards visual and usability enhancements rather than altering the app’s core functionality.
While global pricing has not been finalised, the subscription is expected to remain a low-cost monthly plan, with reports indicating a possible one-month free trial for eligible users. The feature is still in beta, meaning the final set of offerings could evolve before a broader rollout. Support for iOS users is also anticipated in the coming weeks.
The move mirrors a broader trend in the social and messaging ecosystem, where platforms such as Snapchat and Instagram have introduced similar subscription layers adding premium features without placing core services behind a paywall.
For WhatsApp, the strategy appears clear, keep the conversation free, but charge for a little extra flair around it.
