Back in October of 2019, we learned that T-Mobile was partnering with a new streaming service Quibi. Now that we are just days away from it launching, T-Mobile announced that it will be offering a free year of the service to T-Mobile’s Family-Plan customers. According to Variety, originally Quibi would have been a second streaming option T-Mobile that customers could select. Now, instead of getting Netflix, Family-Plan customers will get Quibi as T-Mobile changes strategy less than a week before the streaming service’s launch.
“T-Mobile customers have always been ahead of the curve – streaming more data, watching more mobile video – so when we first heard about Quibi, we knew our customers would love it!” said Mike Sievert, President and CEO of T-Mobile. “And, with more of us staying home right now, Quibi’s never been more needed. It comes on the scene with a totally different experience, made for mobile, quick to watch and as entertaining as anything you’ve ever seen!”
Quibi was formed by Jeffrey Katzenberg and has already raised $1 billion in financing. Disney and WarnerMedia are among the platform’s funders. Quibi will reportedly charge around $5/month with ads or $8/month for an ad-free version.
Here is what you need to know about Quibi:
The Content
Qubi has three tiers of content. First is movies, which will be told in episodes, each around 7-10 minutes long. Next are unscripted shows and documentaries. These are the shows you’ve been hearing about from stars like Chrissy Teigen and Idris Elba. Finally, there are daily essentials. These are the news clips, sports highlights, and the best of late night TV.
An estimated $1 billion will be spent on content within the first year. Also within that first year, Jeffrey Katzenberg says that Quibi will roll out over 175 shows and 8,500 episodes.
The Length
Katzenberg says he was inspired by books when developing the idea of big stories in quick bites. He mentioned The Da Vinci Code in particular, a book with a lot of short chapters, allowing reader to read a quick chapter when they had a few spare minutes.
When Quibi was first announced, this is what we heard about these quick bites. “You leave the house every morning with a little TV in your pocket. It’s called your smart phone,” Whitman said in 2018. “During the day, you have these in-between moments. Ten minutes here, 15 minutes there, where you want to see something great.”
The Experience
One of the major talking points of the keynote was the Turn Style feature. With this feature, users will be able to view content in both portrait and landscape, without losing out on quality or content. Show will be optimized for this feature, with two versions of each episode being submitted and edited together, then allowing users to turn their phone while viewing and having the content adjust based on how the phone is being held.
Quibi is also working to create a more immersive viewing experience. The app will use everything from viewing habits to the phone’s camera to time of day to better deliver the content you want, when you want it.
Because of these new features and a platform unlike anything on the market currently, Quibi will not be buying up content libraries, but will be creating all new original content. All content, regardless of which tier you’re subscribed to, will be available to download and watch offline.
When Does it Launch?
Quibi is set to launch on April 6, 2020.
How Much Will It Cost?
Quibi will charge $4.99 with ads and $7.99 for an ad-free version.
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