iWorld
ShemarooMe OTT joins forces with global telcos for International content reach
Mumbai: Continuing its dynamic expansion in the global telco, ISP (Internet Service Provider), and OEM (Original Equipment Manufacturer) landscape, Shemaroo Entertainment, one of India’s leading media & entertainment conglomerates, has successfully extended its OTT arm, ShemarooMe, to six additional international telecom operators. The collaboration with STC, Zain and Batelco in Bahrain, Grameenphone in Bangladesh, XL Axiata in Indonesia and Ooredoo in Oman, facilitated through esteemed DCB (direct carrier billing) partners Timwetech, Boost Connect and SLA Digital, signifies yet another noteworthy achievement in Shemaroo’s steadfast dedication to providing seamless and diversified entertainment experiences to global audiences. This partnership will offer customers the option to pay for the subscription of ShemarooMe through their mobile operator’s payment gateway.
This strategic initiative extends the reach of ShemarooMe OTT to a wider demographic, establishing accessibility through around 15 telecom providers spanning key regions such as Southeast Asia, SAARC, and the MENA region. This expansion aligns perfectly with Shemaroo’s overarching vision of transcending entertainment barriers, delivering premium content across borders, and catering to an assorted range of viewer preferences.
“Expanding our content’s reach in the global market remains a point of pride for Shemaroo Entertainment, and our latest collaboration with these esteemed international telecom operators marks a significant stride in that direction,” remarked Shemaroo Entertainment Ltd chief operating officer Arghya Chakravarty. “We are dedicated to breaking down barriers and making our diverse content accessible to audiences worldwide. This association underscores our commitment to enhancing the entertainment experience of viewers across different geographies, bringing them closer to the rich tapestry of Indian content through ShemarooMe OTT. We look forward to forging more such partnerships and continuing our journey of global expansion.”
With the current integration and plans to further integrate ShemarooMe OTT with around 15 more telecom operators within the current financial year, Shemaroo is poised to solidify its standing as a global entertainment leader, embracing technological advancements and delivering captivating content to audiences worldwide.
ShemarooMe OTT app is available in more than 150 countries globally and offers an enormous library of 7000 hours of content across Bollywood, regional, devotional and kids genres in Hindi, Gujarati, Marathi and Punjabi languages.
iWorld
WhatsApp may soon let users to pick who sees their status updates
The messaging giant is borrowing a page from Instagram’s playbook as it pushes to give users finer control over their social circles.
CALIFORNIA: WhatsApp is quietly working on a feature that could make its Status function considerably smarter and considerably more private.
According to reports from beta tracking platforms, the app is testing a tool called Status lists, which would allow users to create named groups such as close friends, family and colleagues, and control precisely which group sees each update. It is a meaningful step up from the platform’s current blunt instruments, which offer only three options: share with all contacts, exclude specific people, or manually select individuals each time.
The new feature draws an obvious comparison with Instagram’s Close Friends function, and the resemblance is unlikely to be accidental. Both platforms sit within Meta’s family, and the company has been nudging them toward a common logic of audience segmentation for some time.
The move also fits neatly into WhatsApp’s broader privacy push. The platform has been rolling out enhanced chat protections and is exploring the introduction of usernames, which would allow users to connect without exchanging phone numbers. Status lists extend that philosophy from messaging into broadcasting.
Meanwhile, Status itself has been evolving well beyond its origins as a simple photo-and-text slideshow. The feature now supports music stickers, collages, longer videos and interactive elements, pushing it closer to the social-media-style story format pioneered by Snapchat and refined by Instagram. In that context, finer audience controls are not merely a privacy feature. They are a precondition for people sharing more.
The feature remains in development and has not been confirmed for release. WhatsApp routinely tests tools that are later modified or quietly shelved. But the direction of travel is clear: the app wants Status to be a destination, not an afterthought. Letting users decide exactly who is in the audience is how it gets there.
