iWorld
Foxtel to launch streaming service on 25 May
MUMBAI: Australian pay TV company Foxtel will launch a new entertainment streaming service on 25 May, entering the crowded streaming market.
The official announcement has ended all speculations regarding the launch that have been doing the rounds.
The next-generation streaming service, which will offer more than 10,000 hours of content including movies and dramas, will be competing with giants like Netflix, Amazon and Disney+.
Though there has not been any official announcement of the name, Foxtel had recently registered ‘Binge’ brand name and logo trademarks.
It is still not known the kind of subscription model the new streaming service will adopt. Media reports say it could be similar to that of Kayo, Foxtel’s sports streaming platform, which works on a monthly subscription free model.
The platform will be hosting content from Sony, BBC Warner Bros, and HBO Max. Over the last one-and-half years, Foxtel has been renegotiating content deals with studios to get SVOD rights for the new streaming service.
“There has been a lot of speculation about our new streaming service and its name, and we are pleased to finally be ready for the big reveal to Australia next week,” says Foxtel Group CEO Patrick Delany.
He termed the streaming service as Foxtel’s ‘growth engine’. The purpose of the new OTT, he said, will be to target consumers who seek to consume the premium content offered by the company.
“We have been beta-testing the service for a few weeks and we are sure Australians will love everything about it. It brings an exciting new brand to younger streaming audiences with a very different and compelling product experience, and a distinctly curated mix of the best drama and movies from the world’s best entertainment brands,” he added.
He said that the launch will be another milestone in the Foxtel Group’s strategy to transform itself and bring its unparalleled catalogue of entertainment and sports to even more viewers in Australia. “Our goal is to consolidate our position as Australia’s preeminent subscription television and streaming provider,” he said.
Foxtel’s subscription television service has 2.5 million customers, providing premium experience – the best of television and on-demand services.
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.
