iWorld
VBS 2024: Stopping the leakages in the pay TV ecosystem
Mumbai: India is in the grips of seisnic changes regarding video and broadband consumption. Pay TV cord-cutting is rampant even as free TV subscriptions are on the rise and OTT buy-ins are churning with the signs up for certain platforms stagnating even as others are seeing rapid increases and some are seeing cataclysmic drops. Aggregators of OTTs are popping up on the horizon promising cheap bundles along with value-added services for cable TV and DTH. There’s a rush to set up free advertising-supported TV channels by TV set manufacturers and smart TV device makers. There’s the Jio factor where it seeks to convert most pay TV customers to free streaming of video content by offering free access to consumers at no cost. The consumer continues to demand bandwidth higher than ever imagined even as prices drop. Margins are under pressure as every player goes one-up on each other to acquire and retain customers.
The video and broadband distribution landscape has not been as vibrant as it is now.. How long will this pot-boiling continue? What will the magic potion of video and broadband look and taste like? And what’s the end game? Indiantelevision.com has held the 20th edition of Video and Broadband Summit better known as VBS at Sahara Star Hotel, Mumbai.
The session chair for this panel is Elara Capital senior VP Karan Taurani along with the panellists: NXT Digital COO Rouse Koshi, MetroCast Network India promoter Nagesh Chhabria, Sabot One Pvt. Ltd. chairman & managing director Atul Saraf, Epic On & Stream-Sense CEO Sourajya Mohanty and KCCL and KVBL CEO Padmakumar N.
In this session, Taurani discussed the TV industry, issues of piracy, decrease in pay TV subscribers, shift from traditional TV to connected TV.
He asked Koshi on the assessment of piracy and the kind of loss the industry is suffering to which he said, “ Piracy has come down. On the linear side of it, I don’t see piracy as much of a problem right now. After digitisation, piracy has come down. Also on the technological front, we have good regulations in place. There is a concern though in a lot of illegal streaming apps rather than in the pay TV side. “
Taurani then turned around towards Chhabria where he asked him his perspective on any innovation or data tracking he might have done towards his subscribers to see if piracy is there to which he said piracy is there first through our net and secondly in cable TVs where privacy is there in rural areas. In those areas, whichever state you go, there are small MSOs who are running with 2000 and 1500 base. When a businessman sees that they question how do they survive with such a small base? It is through privacy.”
After an elaborating response, Taurani asked Padmukar on the lack of digitisation and household penetration level in South markets to which he said, “In protecting the content, we have done all the steps so there’s no chance of privacy as we give correct reports to the broadcasters and there is no suppressing data. As far as Kerala Vision is concerned, we are doing a good business. I’m Kerala our total cable TV homes will be 70 lakhs and out of this around 35 lakhs is dominated by Kerala Vision. We have more than 50 per cent market share in Kerala TV and more than 50 per cent in broadband also.
Saraf said on the issue, “Piracy has been happening for the last three decades. As an OTT aggregator, we are not allowing anybody to download our app if they are not able to put their telephone number. We are doing B2B and doing B2C. There is one thing sure from our OTT department that piracy won’t happen from our end.
Last but not the least, Mohanty replied, “First of all we will acknowledge the fact that piracy has been a menace not only in India but globally also. We have a three fold approach that we have adopted. First is to take initiatives around DRM. Secondly, we have taken our initiatives with the video URLs which are very minimal yet very effective. Third is we have taken initiatives in deploying agencies.
Taurani ended the session by saying bundling is the way ahead and consolidation which will be beneficial to the platforms and distributors.
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.
