NEWS
Astro unveils next-gen entertainment experience; Netflix first to board hi-end Ultrabox, Disney+ Hotstar to follow end-2021
09 November 2021
Malaysia’s 25-year-old Astro took another step away from its “legacy stack” today with the launch of new content bundles and services, including the addition of Netflix to its streaming platform for the first time.
As part of the “all-new Astro experience” unveiled at a hybrid onground/online event in Kuala Lumpur, Netflix becomes the first third-party app to access Astro’s high-end plug-and-play connected Ultrabox.
The Netflix launch comes almost five months after Astro confirmed its deal with the global streamer.
“Forget everything you know about Astro TV previously,” Astro’s TV chief executive and group COO, Euan Smith, said in today’s kick-off presentation.
“We are reinventing ourselves into the streaming platform of tomorrow… we’re coming out of the legacy stack,” he added.
Disney+ Hotstar follows Netflix onto the Ultrabox at the end of the year, with other apps to follow once technical integrations have been complete, Smith said.
In addition to Disney+ Hotstar and Netflix, Astro also offers HBO Go, iQiyi and Hong Kong’s TVBAnywhere+.
The apps will also be integrated into Astro’s second box – the Ultibox – which will offer Netflix in a “couple of months”.
Smith added that there would be an announcement “once a month” going into next year as new services board Astro’s boxes/platform.
Astro CEO, Henry Tan, said in April this year that Astro was planning to aggregate a total of 15 apps by January 2023. Five or six of these would be integrated by the end of January 2022, Tan said.
Netflix’s standard definition service will be included in the new bundle being offered from today, with upgrade options available to subscribers during the sign-up process.
Like Astro’s other third-party apps, the Netflix user interface remains unchanged via the Astro box, and the global streamer will be responsible for its own compliance with Malaysia’s censorship rules.
Among other discounts and freebies, the new bundles offer Netflix for free for three month...
Malaysia’s 25-year-old Astro took another step away from its “legacy stack” today with the launch of new content bundles and services, including the addition of Netflix to its streaming platform for the first time.
As part of the “all-new Astro experience” unveiled at a hybrid onground/online event in Kuala Lumpur, Netflix becomes the first third-party app to access Astro’s high-end plug-and-play connected Ultrabox.
The Netflix launch comes almost five months after Astro confirmed its deal with the global streamer.
“Forget everything you know about Astro TV previously,” Astro’s TV chief executive and group COO, Euan Smith, said in today’s kick-off presentation.
“We are reinventing ourselves into the streaming platform of tomorrow… we’re coming out of the legacy stack,” he added.
Disney+ Hotstar follows Netflix onto the Ultrabox at the end of the year, with other apps to follow once technical integrations have been complete, Smith said.
In addition to Disney+ Hotstar and Netflix, Astro also offers HBO Go, iQiyi and Hong Kong’s TVBAnywhere+.
The apps will also be integrated into Astro’s second box – the Ultibox – which will offer Netflix in a “couple of months”.
Smith added that there would be an announcement “once a month” going into next year as new services board Astro’s boxes/platform.
Astro CEO, Henry Tan, said in April this year that Astro was planning to aggregate a total of 15 apps by January 2023. Five or six of these would be integrated by the end of January 2022, Tan said.
Netflix’s standard definition service will be included in the new bundle being offered from today, with upgrade options available to subscribers during the sign-up process.
Like Astro’s other third-party apps, the Netflix user interface remains unchanged via the Astro box, and the global streamer will be responsible for its own compliance with Malaysia’s censorship rules.
Among other discounts and freebies, the new bundles offer Netflix for free for three months for a promo period with Astro + Broadband/Entertainment Plus packages.
Astro’s new offering comes with flexible contract terms of between 0 to 24 months.
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