Jio Cinema has become a name to reckon with in the vast space of internet streaming video and other content in India.
Founded by the telecom giant Reliance Jio, Jio Cinema seamlessly climbed the ladder of success, reaching one of the most positive progress in users streaming movies, TV shows, and web series.
In this article, we outline the reasons why Jio Cinema is an important player and some of its interesting aspects while describing its role in the Indian compilation of the OTT industry.
The Rise of Jio Cinema
The service was introduced in the year 2016 with the realization of fan Jio services along with the Jiosavann and comfort Jio TV.
Launching Jio Cinema was very opportune, as it coincided with the launch of Jio’s 4G network, which has high-speed internet that is affordable to many Indians.
This technological revolution made it possible for Jio Cinema to network quickly as it was offering subscribers high-definition content for free to Jio subscribers.
One of the key reasons behind Jio Cinema’s rapid rise was its integration with Jio’s telecom services.
As Jio quickly became the largest telecom operator in India, with millions of subscribers across the country, Jio Cinema leveraged this vast customer base, offering them free access to a wide range of content.
This kind of preparation ensured Jio Cinema the much-needed competitive advantage in the saturated OTT circle where they had to grapple with multinational firms like Netflix and Amazon Prime simply hosting and Hotstar.
Content Library and Offerings
Jio Cinema has a huge subscription library catering to all types of viewers. Interested in Bollywood? Indian regional films? Hollywood films and TV shows? Exclusive web series? It’s all there at Jio Cinema.
The content on the platform is offered in several Indian languages, inclusive of Hindi, English, Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, Marathi, and Bengali, etc. Hence, it can target a large number of people within the country.
Apart from movies and TV serials, Jio Cinema has several web series and short films in response to the need of the time for digitized content.
The platform has been very active in striking deals with large content production companies to give its users exclusive content.
For instance, Jio Cinema has entered into a content distribution agreement with the major studios Viacom18, ALTBalaji, and Eros Now, further expanding the range of content available for subscribers.
At the same time, Jio Cinema has taken advantage of the diverse capabilities offered by the parent company by acquiring exclusive streaming rights to several unique sporting events.
This includes cricket, which is one of the most loved games in India.
Through the live telecast of these sporting events, Jio Cinema has expanded its target subscriber range to those of sport as well and not only movie and television series fans.
User Experience and Features
The assets of Jio Cinema cannot be known only in terms of content library; rather, there are other factors as well, specifically branded as user experience.
The platform is quick in that it has a simple, straightforward structure in which users can easily find content in order to watch it.
It is compatible with Android and iOS devices. Users can also install the application on their smart TVs and desktops, ensuring maximum usability of the application.
High-definition live streaming, Jio Cinema’s cutting-edge feature, is another one customers appreciate.
High-definition content can be viewed whether the viewer is using a smartphone or a big-screen television, making it a pleasant experience for the audience.
The application can also give users recommendations depending on what they have already watched to help them explore more and better content.
Jio Cinema also enables the users to download the content. This is an added advantage for users who are in the region with low internet access or for those who want to conserve their data.
By implementing this, Jio Cinema cares for the needs of the customers such that even when they are outside, they can download their preferred films and series and binge-watch heartily.
The Impact of Jio Cinema on the Indian OTT Ecosystem
The Jio Cinema has changed the face of the Indian OTT ecosystem. The model is such that it contains a rich library and fantastic features for Jio subscribers without charging them any extra cost.
This model has disrupted other players who relied heavily on the pay-per-view or subscription models. This has compelled other OTT business players to come up with new strategies and thus new pricing and features.
The success of Jio Cinema has further brought about growth in India’s production of digital content.
This expansion of the platform’s user base has made content creators and production houses focus more on generating content that is targeted at the digital audience.
This wave has seen the rise of producing more web series, short films, and digital first films, which add to the audience base of Indian viewers.
Since Jio Cinema has also forayed into live sports telecasting, it has been an addition to the OTT segment.
Thus, the incorporation of live sports with movies and TV shows makes Jio Cinema a sufficient and adapted app for the changes in audience personality within India.
Conclusion
As the world of OTT platforms is changing every day, Jio Cinema has been able to establish itself without difficulties due to different content, functionality, and ease of use. Owing to its massive content availability, unified user experience, and effective business collaborations, Jio Cinema not only gained millions of users but also raised the bar high for quite a number of industry players.
