iWorld
SVoD subscribers to touch 743 mn globally by 2023
MUMBAI: Subscription based video on demand (SVoD) is rising persistently and will draw a level with broadcast TV globally by 2023 in terms of viewing hours per day. According to a report from Rethink TV research, SVoD will surpass traditional TV viewing soon after.
The report forecasts SVoD usage in all the regions as well as highlights the differences between AVoD dominated Asian market and SVoD-crazy US and European market. The research sees 478 million SVoD subscribers today growing to 743 million by 2023.
China will have the most SVoD subscribers by 2023 although North America will still drive the largest dollar volume. The report also forecasts the US market reaching 236.6 million subscriptions by the end of 2023, from a base today of some 146.5 million.
“Europe and Asia will be neck and neck in SVoD revenues by 2023, but with far fewer subscribers in Europe, each paying significantly more than those in Asia, a region dominated by frighteningly large Advertising VoD streaming numbers,” it said.
Outside China, Netflix will continue to lead in SVoD in subscribers numbers. The streaming giant will make up 194 million SVoD customers out of 743 million globally by 2023, some 26 per cent of overall global subscribers.
The report has also predicted that WarnerMedia, under its new AT&T defined, freemium strategy will emerge as the new leader in the US Market. It is predicted to reach 29.6 million SVoD homes by 2023. Disney is also likely to have multiple SVoD service types, but may struggle outside the US.
While the Asia Pacific market is highly skewed with China expected to gather 245 million SVoD subscribers, the average spend will be just $2 to $3 a month. Latin American market will see competition among Netflix, America Movil’s Claro TV and Televisa’s Blim.
“Europe will be a mishmash of different approaches with pure-play US operators like Netflix and Amazon now established, US studios beginning to stake a claim, and local broadcasters ganging up to challenge them. The region has its own pure play SVoD players also such as Maxdome, Sky, Zattoo, and Rakuten TV,” it stated.
iWorld
Pocketful appoints Prateek Singh as CEO to drive next growth phase
Ex-Bajaj Broking executive to scale digital investing platform in India
MUMBAI: Pocketful has appointed Prateek Singh as its chief executive officer, marking a key leadership move as the company looks to scale its presence in India’s fast-evolving investment market.
Backed by the three-decade legacy of Pace Group, Pocketful is positioning the appointment as a strategic step to accelerate growth and strengthen its foothold among retail investors.
Singh brings over 13 years of experience in building digital financial platforms, with expertise spanning customer acquisition, product development and business expansion. He joins from Bajaj Broking, where he served as chief growth officer and played a key role in enhancing the company’s digital capabilities and platform experience.
Commenting on the appointment, Pocketful co-founder Sarvam Goel said, “Prateek’s appointment represents an essential milestone for Pocketful as we expand our operations and strengthen our position in the Indian investment market.” He added that Singh’s experience aligns closely with the company’s vision of building a user-focused, technology-driven platform.
For his part, Singh said, “I am truly excited to join Pocketful at such a pivotal stage of its growth journey,” highlighting the rising retail participation and shift towards digital investing in India. He added that the focus will be on simplifying the investing experience and enabling more informed participation in capital markets.
Pocketful offers zero brokerage on equity delivery trades, along with no account opening charges and lifetime zero annual maintenance fees, positioning itself as an accessible platform for new-age investors. It also caters to active traders with advanced tools and features such as margin trading and its in-house intelligence layer, Pocketful GPT, designed to assist with trade ideas and portfolio analysis.
The company has recently expanded into mutual funds, signalling its ambition to evolve into a full-stack investment platform. With Singh at the helm, Pocketful is looking to ride the wave of India’s growing retail investor base and sharpen its competitive edge in the crowded brokerage space.
