iflix, an emerging subscription video on demand (SVoD) service provider, has entered the Kenyan market, heightening competition in the online entertainment segment.
Iflix, with regional headquarters in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, offers unlimited access to thousands of TV shows, movies and other programmes targeting emerging markets.
The company has already launched in eight African countries in sub-Sahara Africa including Nigeria, Ghana and Zimbabwe and is set to be officially unveiled in Kenya on 29th August, 2017. Each iflix subscription allows users to access the service on up to five devices, including phones, laptops, tablets, and television sets.
The entertainment company early this year created iflix Africa, based in South Africa, to bring its services to sub-Saharan Africa (SSA).
In Kenya, iflix Africa will be banking on the growing youth population, rapidly growing internet and smartphone penetration, and huge appetite for digital content and entertainment. It will battle out with other established global online video content suppliers already operating in Kenya, including Showmax and Netflix.
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Showmax, the South African video on demand service firm, launched in Kenya in 2015, while Netflix of the United States entered Kenya in 2016. The two have been signing up subscribers but their success rate is yet to be known as they haven’t released any figures.
The launch of iflix Africa will increase iflix’s global footprint to 23 territories worldwide, with additional regional markets to be added over the coming months. Early this month, iflix and Econet Media’s Kwesé entered into a partnership to deliver streaming entertainment to sub-Saharan Africa.As part of the partnership with Econet Group, iflix Africa will soon make its on-demand service available in Zimbabwe to Econet Wireless mobile subscribers.
“The establishment of iflix Africa represents an incredibly exciting step in iflix’s growth story,” said Mark Britt, iflix Co-founder and CEO.
“As Africa transitions from the margins to the mainstream of the global economy, there is a unique, ‘once in a generation’ opportunity to fundamentally shift the way a billion people consume and enjoy content.”
By 2020, Africa is estimated to have reached 720 million smartphone users. As the fastest-growing mobile market on earth, Africa is one of the world’s most dynamic regions.
The commercial launch of iflix’s SVoD service across in SSA has made iflix’s vast range of TV shows and movies, including many first run exclusives programmes available to hundreds of millions of consumers across the region. In addition to having Hollywood, Bollywood, Nollywood and other regional and local programming, the service will additionally offer a collection of highly acclaimed African shows and movies with iflix Africa planning to introduce exclusive African content series.
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Having first launched its service in May 2015, iflix quickly established its dominance in the Asian region, rolling out its to 18 markets across Asia and MENA (Middle East and North Africa) in less than two years, acquiring over five million members over the period.
In March 2017, iflix announced the completion of a US$90 million round of funding to support its international expansion. The round added new investors Liberty Global Group and Zain Group to the company’s formidable shareholder roaster, which also includes global heavyweights Sky plc, Catcha Group and Evolution Media.
