Quibi, a short-form mobile video platform has been the talk of video streaming world, after getting 1.7 million downloads in its first week after the launch
The much hyped mobile streaming app was founded in 2018 by Jeffrey Katzenberg and went live on April 6, 2020 with dozens of programs and more set to be featured in the coming weeks. Several shows and personalities such as Chrissy Teigen have already started sharing their teasers on social media in readiness for Quibi although not many people know what it is.
The name Quibi is a mash up of ‘quick’ and ‘bites’. The platform is subscription based and is enabled for Android and iPhone users.
Once you install the Quibi app, you can watch scripted and unscripted content on your phone with episodes running roughly from seven to ten minutes.
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Quibi had over 1.7 million downloads in its first week after the launch attracting a demographic of people in the lower 30s. The app is currently giving users a free 90-day trial period if you download it by April 30, after which you can subscribe monthly at $4.99 (approximately Ksh500) with ads or at $7.99 (Ksh800) commercial free viewing.
Statistics collected so far from the new app user experience is that more than 80 percent of viewers at least watched through the first episode of their shows. The shows are hard to share on the app and this cast doubt on whether their original content will have staying power.
Currently, the Quibi app also lacks TV support or any kind of big screen experience. With many viewers currently at home due to the Coronavirus pandemic, this has proved to be a disadvantage for them.
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However, the company has promised to fast track on that since it was already in their plans. CEO Meg Whitman said that had they anticipated that the ability to cast on TV or big screens would definitely have been a part of the launch, but were unable to meet the deadline.
Ideally, Quibi provides short form entertainment for easy watching especially during work breaks, on your daily commute to work or while waiting for one thing or the other. The short episodes means you do not have to pause whatever you are watching to attend to something else first. You can watch in portrait or landscape on your phone depending on your preference.
Ms Whitman indicated that they have lined up original shows until November, 2020.
Quibi, pronounced ‘kwee-bee’ was founded by Jeffrey Katzenberg headquartered in Los Angeles California.
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