Quibi to Add TV-Casting Feature Next Month, Claims to Hit 2.7 Million App Downloads
By Todd Spangler
LOS ANGELES (Variety.com) – Quibi, which launched two weeks ago as a mobile-only video streaming app for on-the-go viewing , said it plans to add the ability to “cast” content to compatible TVs next month.
The company, led by founder Jeffrey Katzenberg and CEO Meg Whitman, also announced that its app has been downloaded more than 2.7 million times in the first two weeks. In the first week, according to the company, it hit 1.7 million downloads .
According to analytics company Sensor Tower, Quibi has around 2.3 million downloads to date. The Quibi figure “seems reasonable assuming they are counting all possible installs,” said Sensor Tower head of mobile insights Randy Nelson, which may include re-downloads; installs on multiple devices per Apple or Google account; or iPad downloads of the iPhone-only app.
Meanwhile, it’s worth noting that downloads do not equate to active users, as some of those who downloaded the Quibi app have likely watched very little of the quick-bite content.
Quibi launched April 6 with some 50 shows at launch , with episodes of 10 minutes or less. It’s initially free (with ads) for 90 days. The inability for users to watch the premium short-form content on TVs frustrated some — particularly given stay-at-home quarantines covering much of the U.S. — and Quibi subsequently said it would fast-track a TV-casting feature.
How Quibi’s casting-to-the-TV feature will work is unclear; a company rep did not provide details. The top mobile-casting technologies are Google Cast, which let mobile devices send audio and video streams to compatible TVs or other devices; and Apple’s AirPlay.
In announcing the 2.7 million downloads, Quibi said the top five trending shows on the service since launch are:
- “Most Dangerous Game” starring Liam Hemsworth and Christoph Waltz (pictured above)
- “Chrissy’s Court” featuring Chrissy Teigen and Pepper Thai
- “Flipped” starring Will Forte and Kaitlin Olson
- “Punk’d” hosted by Chance The Rapper
- “Survive” starring Sophie Turner and Corey Hawkins
And the most-watched “Daily Essentials” shows on Quibi (listed alphabetically), according to the company, are:
- Around the World by BBC News
- No Filter by TMZ
- The Rachel Hollis Show
- The Report by NBC News
- Sexology with Shan
Quibi also has a deal with T-Mobile, which is offering one free year of the service to subscribers on multiline wireless plans. After the free trial periods are up, Quibi’s regular pricing is $4.99 per month with ads and $7.99 per month with no ads. See the lineup of Quibi’s 50 shows available at launch .
