iWorld
Dish TV’s Watcho surpasses 25 mn subscribers
KOLKATA: Dish TV India’s OTT Watcho has surpassed 25 million subscribers, a new milestone for the platform that provides snackable and on-the-go entertainment.
Watcho has brought a unique assortment of delectable content such as Sarhad, The Jail Plan, Jaalsaazi, 4 Thieves, Love Crisis and Ardhsatya. The platform boasts of 50 original web-shows, 115 Live TV channels and 800+ hours of engaging content across diverse genres. Furthermore, with the launch of original shows across different languages like Hindi, Kannada and Telugu and original influencer shows such as Look I Can Cook, Bikhare Hain Alfaaz, etc, viewers across the country and across segments can enjoy their favorite content.
Dish TV India executive director & group CEO Anil Dua said, “We are elated to achieve this 25 million milestone and are proud of having created a strong resonance with our viewers in such a short span of time. At Dish TV India, it has always been our endeavor to meet the entertainment needs of all our subscribers all the time. Watcho, is a step in this direction that delivers a seamless streaming entertainment experience to our subscribers through its advanced technology and diverse content. I would also like to take this opportunity to thank all our subscribers for loving our platform and congratulate our young Watcho team for having created this bond with them.”
Watcho not only has this unique content on its platform but also provides several engagement properties. It recently rolled out Watcho Aur Jeeto to give users an opportunity to engage with the platform daily. It has also launched Watcho Swag that lets users showcase their talent on the platform.
DishTV & Watcho, Dish TV India marketing corporate head Sukhpreet Singh added, “Watcho has been growing consistently since its launch. What sets us apart is the fact that Watcho has always aimed at delivering a versatile content portfolio to its subscribers. We are confident that our subscribers are in for a thrilling ride as we continue to introduce interesting snackable content and an integrated content viewing experience across screens.”
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.
