iWorld
Sony LIV wins ‘Best App for Large Screens’ at Google Play’s Best of 2024 awards
Mumbai: Sony LIV, a leader in India’s streaming landscape, has been honoured with the prestigious “Best App for Large Screens” award at Google Play’s Best of 2024 Awards in India. This accolade highlights Sony LIV’s exceptional commitment to delivering immersive entertainment experiences tailored for larger devices, such as tablets, allowing users to enjoy premium sports and high-quality content like never before.
The Google Play Best of Awards celebrates excellence in product innovation and user experience, and Sony LIV’s seamless and engaging interface stood out for enhancing content discovery and navigation on large screens.
Sony LIV’s rich content library includes blockbuster TV shows, original series, movies, and live sports, all powered by cutting-edge technology that ensures a superior user experience across platforms. By consistently blending innovation with engaging storytelling, Sony LIV remains a preferred choice for audiences nationwide.
Sony LIV, head of growth & monetisation, Manish Aggarwal expressed his excitement, stating: “We are thrilled to receive this esteemed award from Google Play. This achievement is a testament to our long-standing partnership with Google and due to our consistent efforts in providing users with seamless, engaging, and immersive screen agnostic viewing experiences. Our team has worked tirelessly to optimize the platform, ensuring users enjoy unparalleled entertainment and sports, anywhere, anytime across platforms and devices. This award motivates us to continue innovating and setting new benchmarks within the industry.”
This recognition reinforces Sony LIV’s dedication to advancing streaming technology and elevating audience experiences. With this milestone, the platform aims to continue setting industry benchmarks and expanding its reach across diverse viewing preferences.
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.
