iWorld
Discovery+ introduces India-special original shows
KOLKATA: Launched earlier this year, Discovery+ is all set to up the ante by foraying into original programming for the India market.
With an eye on audience demand, Discovery+ has planned a slew of original shows starting from 9 December, which includes Mission Frontline, featuring movie star Rana Daggubati; Ladakh Warriors: The Sons of the Soil, narrated in Hindi by actor Randeep Hooda; and Secrets of Sinauli: Discovery of the Century, which will be presented by acclaimed Indian Film director Neeraj Pandey along with National Award-winning actor Manoj Bajpayee as the host.
A new original content slate
Since debuting in the Indian OTT space in March 2020, Discovery+ has added over 600 marquee shows across 60 different sub-genres including survival, sports, biopics, mystery, lifestyle, nature, science, military, crime, investigation, adventure, food, travel, to name just a few.
Within the first half of 2021, Discovery+ will have the largest-ever content offering in the real-life entertainment and learning space with a wide range of more than 200 new and exclusive (local and global) titles to further strengthen its content offerings. Along with India produced originals, Discovery+ will also be launching other Indian titles including shows such as Amma & Appa, The Indian Dream Hotel, The Ganges with Sue Perkins, Aerial India as well as exclusive premieres like A Perfect Planet featuring Sir David Attenborough, The End of The Storm, The Impossible Row and the latest seasons of Top Gear and Gold Rush among many more.
‘For those who want to be entertained & informed’
Discovery South Asia MD Megha Tata said, “We’re only a few months old but Discovery+ has exceeded our expectations of user adoption. The traction that the product has seen demonstrates the immense appetite Indian consumers have for real-life entertainment and learning space. With Discovery+, we are seizing a global opportunity with a single aggregated product. No other media company is better positioned to do this.”
Discovery APAC direct-to-consumer head Issac John added that the platform’s Indian originals have been specially produced for heartland audiences who love real-life entertainment and learning. “These shows reflect the particular needs of our consumers – who seek to be both entertained and informed. They will provide our viewers unprecedented access to real-life stories that have never been told before. We’re delighted to launch Discovery+ Originals with such a varied and differentiated slate of shows.”
New features on the app
Furthermore, subscribers of the app will also be able to relish 12 live feeds from the Discovery bouquet from varied genres and channels including Dkids, HGTV, Eurosport India HD, Food Network HD, Travel Channel HD, DMAX HD along with Discovery HD, Animal Planet HD, TLC HD, Investigation Discovery HD, Discovery Science and Discovery Turbo, starting 15 December.
To commemorate the global launch of Discovery+, the India-based app is also rebranding itself, unveiling a brand-new logo keeping in line with the global rollout of the offering across 25 international markets.
iWorld
X launches XChat messaging app on iOS with calls and encryption
Standalone app marks shift from “everything app” vision, adds E2E messaging.
MUMBAI: From one big app to many small chats, X seems to be splitting its ambitions. X has rolled out its standalone messaging app, XChat, to iOS users, opening up a new front in its evolving product strategy. The app allows users to connect with existing X contacts through private and group messages, file sharing, as well as audio and video calls. The launch follows a limited beta phase, where the platform tested the product with a smaller user base to refine the experience. Now available publicly, XChat marks a notable pivot from earlier ambitions championed by Elon Musk to turn X into a single “everything app” combining messaging, payments, commerce and more.
Instead, the company under xAI ownership and backed by SpaceX appears to be building a suite of standalone applications, each targeting specific use cases while expanding its broader ecosystem.
At launch, XChat includes end-to-end encrypted messaging, PIN-based access, disappearing messages, and features such as message editing, deletion for all participants, and screenshot blocking. The company has also said the app is free from advertisements and tracking mechanisms, positioning it as a privacy-first alternative in a crowded messaging space.
However, security claims around the platform are likely to face scrutiny. Earlier iterations of XChat drew criticism from experts who argued it fell short of established encrypted platforms like Signal. With the wider rollout, the app is expected to undergo fresh evaluation to assess whether those concerns have been addressed.
Beyond messaging, XChat will also house X’s Communities feature, which is being discontinued on the main platform due to low usage and spam concerns. Migrating these users could provide an early boost to adoption, effectively turning XChat into both a communication and community hub.
The move underscores a broader recalibration at X less about cramming everything into one app, and more about spreading bets across multiple touchpoints, one message at a time.
