A new test for Amazon starts in India: it's called miniTV, it's mobile-only and it's a free streaming service with ads.
In recent times, Amazon has been sharply targeting digital entertainment. The platform was already there: Amazon Prime Video, the one that every Amazon Prime subscriber gets for free. LOL, Chi ride è fuori has been a great success in Italy and in the other European countries where it has been staged, but Bezos' men are already thinking about the future.
For the moment it starts from India, but it could be a test in anticipation of a large-scale launch. It's news of the last hours the launch of Amazon miniTV, and the goal - at least in India - is to address more and more people in the digital entertainment pool of the e-commerce giant. Amazon miniTV in fact is a completely free service, accessible even by those who buy sporadically on the online platform and have not found it necessary to subscribe to Amazon Prime from 36 euros per year. So there's room for everyone, with an offer of free streaming that, in the intentions, is addressed to everyone.
Amazon miniTV, what is it
Amazon has done things in a big way, as you would expect from a company of its size. In India - the first country where Amazon miniTV is coming - Jeff Bezos' men have signed agreements for the supply of content with big companies such as TVF and Pocket Aces, two of the major local web studios, or with some comedians.
So on Amazon miniTV the genre of content offered will be very heterogeneous, in order to please as many people as possible. All for free as long as you accept short commercials, a bit like the free version of YouTube. The hope is to channel on its services potential subscribers of Amazon Prime Video, paid service that Amazon is pushing a lot in India.
In this first phase Amazon miniTV will be accessible only by Android users, but the company has made it known that in the coming months will be extended to those who have an iOS device. In any case, the service will not require a new application but has been integrated within the classic Amazon app with which you usually access the store to make purchases.
In short, it will not be a new threat to Netflix or Disney+, but for content and features will aim at a different audience.
Amazon miniTV, however, will have to do a lot to emerge in a sector that in India is quite crowded with proposals, since there are already since 2019 similar services such as Flipkart and Flipkart Video which have managed to create in a short time a hard core of fans.
Amazon miniTV, the contents
Concurrently with the launch of miniTV, Amazon has issued a note in which it enumerates guests and some of the content available at the beginning: "Viewers will be informed about the latest products and business trends by technology expert Trakin Tech, fashion and beauty experts like Sejal Kumar, Malvika Sitlani, Jovita George, Prerna Chhabra and ShivShakti. Food lovers can enjoy content from Kabita's Kitchen, Cook with Nisha and Gobble. In the coming months, miniTV will be adding many more new and exclusive videos."