Applications
Times Internet launches BoxTV
NEW DELHI: Times Internet Limited has launched BoxTV as a new technology which is something between IPTV and YouTube.
Based entirely on a library of content which can be accessed by the subscriber, BoxTV will have over 2000 television episodes of popular series. To make this content attractive, BoxTV has also build software around each of these films which can help the subscriber to choose and see only action sequences, songs, comedy scenes, and background of the filmmakers or actors.
BoxTV will be accessible via iPhone, iPad and Android devices and even popular TV-connected platforms such as Roku (which will allow users to view the content, whenever they travel).
Times Internet Ltd CEO Satyan Gajwani told indiantelevision.com that BoxTV is a product with a user-centric design approach, backed by a large content bank with anytime-anywhere access for subscribers.
While refusing to give exact figures, he said that anything between Rs 100 to 500 million had gone into investment to set up the system. Since the system is not dependent on internet service providers, there is no fee to be shared with them. This was not the case in IPTV which was computer-centric.
However, several million dollars had been spent to buy software from 30 to 40 partners such as Sony, Shemaroo, NTV, Zoom, Lehrein, Rajshri Pictures, Contentino and One Take Media.
Gajwani said that Zoom may create special software for BoxTV since it belonged to the Times Group.
General Manager (Marketing) Gurbir Singh said BoxTV is purely invitation-based. He said publicity will initially be word of mouth but he hoped it will go on all platforms soon.
General Manager (Digital Video Initiatives) Pandurang Nayak said the service will initially be free. However, subscribers who register could take on premium service which will provide more software by paying Rs 499 per month in India (initiative price Rs 199), $ 9.99 (invitation price $ 4.99) in the United States, and 9.99 pounds sterling (4.99 pounds sterling) in the United Kingdom.
Gajwani admitted that he expected the initial response to come from overseas, including non-resident Indians. The metadata about each film that includes background, sequence wise viewing and so on would prove very attractive. The system also had a parental control built in so that it could not be accessed by children without a password.
While there is no interactivity with the TIL, the site will also have features where a subscriber will know what his friends are watching and their comments.
Gajwani said that 90 per cent of the software will initially be free. Answering a question, he said the advertising will be relevant and not intrusive to the subscriber.
BoxTV.com has a ‘freemium model’, which means that a part of the content will be available on an ad-supported free-to-user basis, and the rest will be available on a monthly subscription basis. BoxTV had put up an invite-register page in February this year and in August they launched an invite-only alpha preview of the product. Since then it claims to have accrued more than 50,000 invite requests.
The BoxTV player has been designed and built from scratch with unique features for a ‘lean back’ experience with three different modes – normal, wide and full screen for viewing content. Its most popular feature is the lights-off feature that gives users optimal viewing opportunity for high-quality videos. It also has an auto-bandwidth optimiser for working well on low or inconsistent bandwidths for optimal viewing while a user is on the move. What sets BoxTV apart from competitors is that it is the only site that focuses on getting international (Hollywood) content to Indian users and takes Indian content (both mainstream Bollywood and regional content) to Indians living worldwide and in India.
Applications
With 57 per cent single new users, Ashley Madison rebrands as discreet dating platform
Platform says majority of new members now identify as single
INDIA: Ashley Madison is shedding the “married-dating” label that defined it for two decades, repositioning itself as a platform for discreet dating in what it calls the post-social media age.
The rebrand, unveiled in India on 27 February, 2026, marks a structural shift in business model and identity. Once synonymous with married dating, the company now describes itself as the “premier destination for discreet dating” under a new tagline: Where Desire Meets Discretion.
The pivot is data-driven. Internal figures show that 57 per cent of global sign-ups between 1 January and 31 December, 2025 identified as single: a notable departure from the platform’s married core. The company argues that its community has already evolved beyond its original positioning.
“In an age where our lives have been constantly put on public display, privacy has become the new luxury,” said Ashley Madison chief strategy officer Paul Keable. He framed the platform’s offering as “ethical discretion” for singles, separated, divorced and non-monogamous users seeking private connections.
The shift also taps into wider digital fatigue. A global survey conducted by YouGov for Ashley Madison, covering 13,071 adults across Australia, Brazil, Canada, Germany, India, Italy, Mexico, Spain, Switzerland, the UK and the US, found mounting discomfort with hyper-public online lives.
Among dating app users, 30 per cent cited constant swiping and messaging as a source of fatigue, while 24 per cent pointed to pressure to curate public-facing profiles and early personal disclosure. Some 27 per cent said fears of screenshots or information being shared contributed to exhaustion; an equal share cited unwanted attention.
The retreat from oversharing appears broader. According to the survey, 46 per cent of adults actively try to keep most aspects of their life private online. Only 8 per cent feel comfortable sharing most aspects publicly, while 35 per cent say they are becoming more selective about what they disclose.
Ashley Madison is betting that this cultural recalibration towards controlled visibility can be monetised. By doubling down on privacy infrastructure and reframing itself around discretion rather than infidelity, the company is attempting to convert reputational baggage into a premium proposition.
