iWorld
Hotstar most popular video streaming platform, finds study
MUMBAI: It’s a tough game for international OTT players to beat Hotstar in India. A study conducted by SEMrush found Hotstar crossed the mark of 35 million searches during April 2018 having a difference of over 30 million searches with Netflix. It revealed the dominance of Hotstar on all other online TV and entertainment platforms.
Hotstar with its range of content in every domain including cinema, sports, English TV series, regional shows, serials has number of options to lure viewers. The OTT platform has outrun its global peers and domestic competitors in the Indian market including Netflix, Eros Now, YuppTV, BoxTV, and others. The search volume trends for Hotstar showed that the platform gained maximum popularity in the months of June and September 2017, and broke records in April 2018.
The study also revealed Game of Thrones(GoT) as the TV series with the highest search volume in India marking over 600,000 searches during the year 2017-18. Hotstar having the rights of this over popular show could have acquired high number of viewers. GoT became the TV series with most searches in India since the telecast of its 7th series in August 2017.
Gaming
Samsung’s #PlayGalaxy Cup 5.0 crowns Kaashvi Warriors
Galaxy S26-powered esports event reaches 350 million plus users with 48 top creators.
MUMBAI: Samsung just powered up India’s gaming arena because when Galaxy S26 meets creator chaos, even the controllers get excited. India’s largest consumer electronics brand, Samsung, hosted the fifth edition of #PlayGalaxy Cup, powered by the all-new Galaxy S26 series, bringing together 48 top gaming creators for a high-stakes tournament. Kaashvi Warriors emerged as champions after approximately four and a half hours of intense head-to-head matchups, livestreamed on Samsung India’s official YouTube channel and select Exclusive Stores nationwide, reaching over 350 million users.
The event featured leading talents from Opraahfx, including TechnoGamerz, MythPat, GamerFleet, Desi Gamers, Gautami Abhyudaya, Sooneeta, and Sourav Joshi, delivering massive engagement and competitive fire.
The Galaxy S26 series stole the show with its enhanced performance, immersive display technology, reduced thickness, and lighter weight proving its mettle in sustained peak gameplay under tournament pressure.
Samsung Mobile,vice president and head of product marketing & e-commerce Aditya Babbar said, “At Samsung, we’re proud to empower India’s vibrant esports community with Galaxy devices designed for high-performance gaming. #PlayGalaxy Cup has now entered its fifth edition… we’ve taken it to the next level with even bigger battles and exclusive experiences.”
Over five seasons, #PlayGalaxy Cup has grown from tournament to creator-community powerhouse, cementing Samsung’s bond with Gen Z and millennial gamers fuelling India’s esports boom.
In a scene where mobile gaming is exploding, Samsung’s latest showcase wasn’t just a win for Kaashvi Warriors,it’s a statement that the right device can turn any matchup into a multi-million-view spectacle.
