iWorld
US SVod revenues to be flat from 2024-2027: Digital TV Research
Mumbai: Despite being the world’s most mature market, US SVod (subscription video-on-demand) revenues will grow by $14 billion from $43 billion in 2021 to a peak of $56 billion in 2024, according to new data from Digital TV Research. However, revenue growth will be almost flat from 2024 to 2027 due to price competition and new hybrid AVoD-SVoD tiers from major players such as Disney+ and Netflix.
Digital TV Research principal analyst Simon Murray said, “Netflix will remain the SVoD revenue winner. However, the platform will lose $1.4 billion in SVoD revenues between 2022 and 2027 due to lower ARPUs from 2023. Netflix will more than recoup these SVoD revenue losses with AVoD (Advertising-based video on demand) sales.”
Netflix will have 63 million subscribers by 2027 – down by 4 million from 2021. Hulu, Disney+, HBO and Paramount+ will each boast 40-50 million subscribers by 2027. Some consolidation – mergers and closures – is likely.
iWorld
X launches XChat messaging app on iOS with calls and encryption
Standalone app marks shift from “everything app” vision, adds E2E messaging.
MUMBAI: From one big app to many small chats, X seems to be splitting its ambitions. X has rolled out its standalone messaging app, XChat, to iOS users, opening up a new front in its evolving product strategy. The app allows users to connect with existing X contacts through private and group messages, file sharing, as well as audio and video calls. The launch follows a limited beta phase, where the platform tested the product with a smaller user base to refine the experience. Now available publicly, XChat marks a notable pivot from earlier ambitions championed by Elon Musk to turn X into a single “everything app” combining messaging, payments, commerce and more.
Instead, the company under xAI ownership and backed by SpaceX appears to be building a suite of standalone applications, each targeting specific use cases while expanding its broader ecosystem.
At launch, XChat includes end-to-end encrypted messaging, PIN-based access, disappearing messages, and features such as message editing, deletion for all participants, and screenshot blocking. The company has also said the app is free from advertisements and tracking mechanisms, positioning it as a privacy-first alternative in a crowded messaging space.
However, security claims around the platform are likely to face scrutiny. Earlier iterations of XChat drew criticism from experts who argued it fell short of established encrypted platforms like Signal. With the wider rollout, the app is expected to undergo fresh evaluation to assess whether those concerns have been addressed.
Beyond messaging, XChat will also house X’s Communities feature, which is being discontinued on the main platform due to low usage and spam concerns. Migrating these users could provide an early boost to adoption, effectively turning XChat into both a communication and community hub.
The move underscores a broader recalibration at X less about cramming everything into one app, and more about spreading bets across multiple touchpoints, one message at a time.
