HOOQ is here. Singtel, Sony and Warner Bros. announced the launch of this new OTT platform, the first of its kind in Asia. The platform already seems to have a substantial library, with Spiderman, Harry Potter, Friends and Gossip Girl on board, together with a catalogue of Indian, Chinese, Thai, Filipino, Indonesian, Korean and Japanese content. It might be a preemptive strike against Netflix and anyone else looking to get into the OTT space in Asia, but is it a killer blow? Or will it simply accelerate Netflix’s plans to expand into Asia (with Australia and New Zealand launches later this year)? Are users in Asia ready and willing to pay anything for a service like HOOQ or Netflix? What rights / business / infrastructure / legal challenges will it have to overcome to succeed? And who else has a say in all of this – a regional startup like iFlix or a tech behemoth like Google/YouTube?
So, the topic for our 6-word debate this month is:
In 2020, HOOQ will be…
Profitable?
One of many?
Free?
Out of business?
We look forward to hearing your view in 6 words or less!
In 2020, HOOQ will be… What are your views in 6 words or less? #HOOQ2020 #casbaa2020 #HOOQ
— CASBAA (@CASBAAHK) February 6, 2015
Profitably streaming but with intense competition MT @CASBAAHK In 2020, HOOQ will be… Your views in 6 words or less? #HOOQ2020 #casbaa2020
— Matt Pollins (@mattpollins) February 6, 2015
@CASBAAHK In 2020, HOOQ will be… competing with other SVODs – or not #casbaa2020 #HOOQ #6WordsOrLess
— matthew kurlanzik (@mkurlanzik) February 13, 2015
$9.99 a month #HOOQ2020 #casbaa2020
— Mark Lay (@markdlay) February 24, 2015
In 2020 HOOQ will be gone #hooq2020 #casbaa2020
— Khush Kundi (@KhushTV) February 26, 2015