iWorld
Netflix testing Rs 250 mobile-only subscription in India
MUMBAI: Giant video-streaming service Netflix is believed to be experimenting with a mobile-only subscription for a select group of users in India. Rs 250 per month is what the streamer is hoping to charge for its mobile-only plan, half of its Rs 500 entry-level subscription price in the country.
According to ET Tech, subscribers can only consume standard definition (SD) content on one mobile or tablet screen at a time. This plan, however, is not part of Netflix’s currently monthly subscriptions that cost users Rs 500-800 depending on the nature of the plans.
“We will be testing different options in select countries where members can watch Netflix on their mobile device for a lower price and subscribe in shorter increments of time. Not everyone will see these options and we may never roll out these specific plans beyond the tests," a Netflix spokesperson said commenting on the development.
Last year, Netflix chief product officer Greg Peters, during earnings call, had said that the company would experiment with their pricing strategy in India in a bid to draw more users to its platforms.
Competing against the likes of Amazon Prime Video, Hotstar, ZEE5 among others, Netflix will remain the most expensive streaming service in India.
Earlier this week, Netflix CEO Reed Hastings had described the Indian OTT market as ‘super competitive’ and ‘exciting’.
"There is also lots happening on Amazon, and on Hotstar, which is now going to be owned by Disney… It's a super competitive, exciting market,” he said.
One of the hallmarks of the Indian market, Hastings highlighted, is the ongoing telecom revolution triggered by Mukesh Ambani’s Reliance Jio. According to him, there is "nothing more impressive in the world than what Reliance Jio has done in the past four years in India" to democratise internet accessibility.
This latest move by Netflix, in a sense, hopes to grab a share of the consumer’s attention and wallet by riding on Jio’s disruptive force.
iWorld
How Broadcast, OTT and Smart TV Ecosystems Are Redefining India’s Content Economy
By Apurv Modi, Managing Director & Co-founder, Abhay Group.
MUMBAI: The Indian media and entertainment industry is entering what I believe is its most defining phase yet. For decades, broadcasting, digital streaming, and device ecosystems operated in parallel lanes. Television dominated mass reach, OTT platforms drove digital disruption, and device manufacturers focused on hardware innovation. Today, those boundaries are dissolving. We are firmly in the convergence era, where broadcast, OTT, and Smart TV ecosystems are not competing with one another but evolving into interconnected distribution and monetisation networks.
This shift has been driven largely by changing audience behavior. Indian viewers no longer distinguish between television content and digital content. They distinguish between convenience and relevance. A consumer may watch a live sports broadcast on television, shift to an OTT platform for a web series, and explore short form or interactive content on a mobile device, all within the same day. The expectation is seamless access, personalized discovery, and uninterrupted experiences across screens.
Broadcast television continues to hold immense power in India, particularly when it comes to scale. Live events, news, and appointment viewing still command massive audiences. However, broadcasting is no longer defined only by linear programming schedules. Broadcasters are increasingly becoming content ecosystem operators. Many networks now extend their presence through OTT apps, catch up television services, and digital first programming strategies.
From my perspective, the real transformation lies in how broadcasters are leveraging digital intelligence to complement traditional reach. Data driven audience insights, once exclusive to digital platforms, are now influencing programming decisions, advertising formats, and distribution partnerships. Broadcast is no longer blind mass communication. It is becoming smarter, measurable, and audience responsive.
OTT platforms, on the other hand, have matured beyond their early disruption phase. Initially positioned as alternatives to television, they are now becoming collaborative partners within the media ecosystem. Co productions between broadcasters and OTT platforms are increasing, allowing content to travel across formats and audiences more efficiently. A show may premiere digitally and later find television distribution, or vice versa, extending lifecycle value significantly.
This collaboration has also reshaped content economics. High quality storytelling requires substantial investment, and shared production ecosystems allow stakeholders to mitigate risk while expanding reach. Regional content has particularly benefited from this model. Stories rooted in local culture are now capable of achieving national and even international visibility through multi platform distribution strategies.
Smart TVs have emerged as one of the most important catalysts in this convergence journey. The living room experience is undergoing a quiet but powerful reinvention. Consumers no longer view television as a single source of entertainment. Smart TVs have transformed the largest screen in the home into an application driven hub where broadcast channels, OTT platforms, gaming environments, and interactive services coexist.
In many Indian households, Smart TVs are bridging generational viewing habits. Traditional audiences continue watching linear television while younger viewers access streaming content or gaming applications on the same device. For advertisers and content owners, this creates unprecedented opportunities for unified engagement strategies.
Brand monetisation is evolving rapidly within this ecosystem. Earlier, advertising models were largely separated between broadcast GRPs and digital impressions. Today, advertisers are looking for integrated visibility across platforms. Smart TVs allow brands to combine the emotional impact of television storytelling with the precision targeting capabilities of digital advertising.
Addressable advertising is becoming increasingly relevant in this context. Instead of broadcasting identical advertisements to every household, brands can deliver customized messaging based on viewing behavior and demographics. This approach improves efficiency for advertisers while enhancing relevance for audiences.
Another important development is the rise of interactive advertising formats. Viewers can now engage directly with branded content through remote enabled actions, QR integrations, or connected mobile journeys. The television screen is no longer a passive medium. It is becoming transactional and experiential.
Content aggregation and distribution strategies are also being redefined. Technology enablement plays a central role here. Aggregators are creating unified discovery environments where audiences access multiple OTT services alongside broadcast offerings. This simplifies consumer experience while strengthening platform stickiness.
From a business standpoint, monetisation models are diversifying rapidly. Subscription revenue remains important, but advertising supported streaming, hybrid subscription tiers, commerce integrations, and brand partnerships are gaining momentum. In some cases, gaming ecosystems and interactive experiences linked to content are opening entirely new revenue streams.
In my experience working across content distribution, mobility enablement, and emerging technology ecosystems, collaboration will determine long term success. Media companies, telecom operators, device manufacturers, advertisers, and technology providers must align strategies to build scalable ecosystems rather than isolated platforms.
India holds a unique advantage in this transformation. Our digital adoption curve has been incredibly fast, supported by affordable data access and a young, mobile native population. At the same time, television penetration remains strong across urban and rural markets. This dual strength allows India to lead hybrid distribution models that combine scale with personalization.
The convergence era is not about replacing one medium with another. It is about integration. Broadcast provides trust and reach. OTT delivers flexibility and personalization. Smart TVs unify experiences within the home environment. Together, they are redefining how stories travel and how brands create meaningful connections with audiences.
As content creators and technology innovators, our responsibility is to ensure that convergence enhances accessibility, creativity, and sustainability. The future of media in India will belong to those who understand that distribution is no longer a channel decision. It is an ecosystem strategy built around audiences who expect entertainment to follow them seamlessly wherever they choose to engage.
