iWorld
ZEE5 associates with gift technology stalwart Qwikcilver
MUMBAI: ZEE5, India’s fastest growing OTT platform ties up withQwikcilver,a global leader in end-to-end gifting & stored-value solutions.ZEE5 e-gift cards will soon be available across major marketplaces & ecommerce destinations such as Amazon, Snapdeal, Woohoo, PayTM among others, as a gifting option. It enablesthe receiver access to the unlimited content choices on the platform for a specific period.
Manish Aggarwal, Business Head, ZEE5 Indiasaid,“Gifting is inherited in Indian culture. We choose our gifts keeping usability, likes and preferences in mind. Through this association with Qwikcilver, ZEE5 will be available as a gift card and consumers can enjoy their daily dose of entertainment and it also allows us to offer audiences the ease of choice, access and convenience. Our growth in the past year has been spurred, to a great deal, by key partnerships across the ecosystem and with Qwikcilver, we hope to continue this journey.”
T P Pratap, Co-Founder &Director, Qwikcilversaid,“We are thrilled to be associated with ZEE5 – India’s fastest growing OTT brand.It has been our constant endeavor to bring on board, strategic partners for the long term, that help to scale the business& strengthen our customer’s faith in us.For a fast-growing brand likeQwikcilver that has pioneered & established leadership across the Gift Card category, this collaboration with ZEE5 will anchor as a first of a kind partnership.”
With over 3500 films, 500+ TV shows, 4000+ music videos, 35+ theatre plays and 90+ LIVE TV Channels across 12 languages, ZEE5 truly presents a blend of unrivalled content offering for its viewers across the nation and worldwide. With ZEE5, the global content of Zindagi as a brand, which was widely appreciated across the country, has also been brought back for its loyal viewers.
Gaming
Sony raises PS5 prices for second time in under a year
US disc edition jumps $100 to $649.99 as memory costs surge.
MUMBAI: Sony just hit the pause button on affordable gaming because when memory prices skyrocket, even the Playstation has to pay the premium. Sony has announced its second price increase for the Playstation 5 range in less than a year, citing pressures in the global economic landscape and a sharp rise in memory component costs driven by AI demand.
In the US, the PS5 disc edition will rise from $549.99 to $649.99, a $100 hike while the digital edition increases to $599.99. The more powerful PS5 Pro will jump $150 to $899.99. The Playstation Portal remote player will also rise by $50 to $249.99. The new prices take effect on 2 April 2026.
Similar increases have been applied in the UK (£90 per model), Europe and Japan. Sony last raised PS5 prices in the US in August 2025.
“We know that price changes impact our community, and after careful evaluation, we found this was a necessary step to ensure we can continue delivering innovative, high-quality gaming experiences to players worldwide,” Sony said in a blog post.
The hikes come amid an unprecedented surge in memory prices, as manufacturers prioritise supply for AI data centres. Analysts say Sony had likely secured price protections for components that have now expired, forcing the company to protect its hardware margins.
Ampere Analysis research director of games Piers Harding-Rolls told CNBC that further increases from Microsoft and Nintendo would not be surprising, though Nintendo may hesitate to raise the price of its recently launched Switch 2 while establishing the new platform.
The increases arrive eight months before the highly anticipated release of GTA 6, which is expected to drive strong console sales. However, early reactions online have been a mix of disappointment and resignation, with growing concern that premium gaming is increasingly becoming a hobby for higher-income players.
In a sector already grappling with tariffs, inflation and component shortages, Sony’s move underscores a tough reality: even the most popular consoles are not immune to the rising cost of keeping up with the latest technology.
