Netflix broadens mobile-only subscription plans in Southeast Asia
United States-based video streaming giant Netflix is broadening its mobile-only subscription plans in Southeast Asia and expanding local content just as rival Disney arrives in the fast-growing market.
United States-based video streaming giant Netflix is broadening its mobile-only subscription plans in Southeast Asia. (Photo: AFP/VNA)
Hanoi (VNA) – United States-based video streaming giant Netflix is broadening itsmobile-only subscription plans in Southeast Asia and expanding local content justas rival Disney arrives in the fast-growing market.
According to theworld's biggest video streaming platform by paid customers, more than onemillion of its nearly 200 million subscribers worldwide are in Southeast Asia,home to approximately 655 million people. But the market is ripe for rapidgrowth with the Disney+ Hotstar launch in Indonesia next month set to become akey battleground.
The region isestimated to have generated 600 million USD in overall subscription music andvideo revenue in 2019, according to a study by Google, Temasek Holdings andBain & Co. But that's set to explode to an annual 3 billion USD by 2025,the study said.
According to NetflixDirector for Product Innovation Ajay Arora, Southeast Asia is a very mobile-centric market. That'sled the company to push cheaper mobile plans and adapt its product to fitlower-end smartphones.
Starting withIndia in August 2019, Netflix has now launched mobile-only plans in Malaysia,Thailand, the Philippines, and Indonesia – all priced at below 5 USD a month.
Repeatedcoronavirus lockdowns across Southeast Asia have also increased the appetitefor content streaming at home across the region. Consultancy Media PartnersAsia estimates that Southeast Asia video streaming service subscribers willreach 14.7 million in all by the end of 2020.
Netflix isalso working to expand its payment options in countries with low credit anddebit card penetration.
However, thecompany faces competition in the region, and not just from Disney, the globalnumber two in the industry. Other regional rivals include Hong Kong videoservice Viu, popular for its Korean dramas, as well as Chinese tech giantTencent's WeTV, which in June bought the assets of Malaysian streaming platformIflix./.
Southeast Asian digital entertainment company POPS Worldwide (POPS) on November 7 rolled out POPS App, which was exclusively developed for Vietnamese people, especially those in Ho Chi Minh City.
Indonesia will require big internet companies to pay value-added taxes (VAT) on sales of digital products and services from July as part of efforts to boost revenue amid the coronavirus pandemic, according to a tax official of the country.
A bill has been introduced in the Philippines’ parliament, aiming at taxing big tech firms such as Facebook, Google and Youtube, Netflix and Spotify, to raise funds for the COVID-19 fight.
Thai Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Commerce Vuttikrai Leewiraphan Thailand's formal proposal will be substantial enough for the US to consider further detailed negotiations. He hoped for a tariff rate not exceeding 10% and suggested that the US might extend the negotiation period if an agreement is not reached by the July 8 deadline.
Organised by the Ministry of Culture and the Association of Thai Silk & Culture Promotions, the event honors Her Majesty the Queen on her 47th birthday anniversary and promotes Thai craftsmanship on an international stage.
Prensa Latina's recent article on Vietnam’s assurance of smooth and effective transition to a leaner structure highlighted Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh’s latest directions on implementing 28 resolutions regarding the decentralisation and delegation of authority.
The lab focuses on four key thematic areas: energy transition and green innovation, sustainable agriculture, circular economy and sustainable cities, and nature-based solutions and biodiversity.
The key content of the document titled "Accelerating Innovative Strategies: Addressing the OOSCY Challenges" will be refined further in a seminar preceding the 47th ASEAN Summit in Kuala Lumpur this October.
This follows Telegram’s serious failure to address the content that has been repeatedly reported to them, despite various efforts of negotiation and cooperation made by MCMC, it said.
Efforts to empower women must transcend dialogue and translate into concrete commitments, including corporate pledges and government partnerships, according to the spouse of Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim.
The forum featured two in-depth discussion sessions, engaging representatives from governments, think tanks, and businesses from both ASEAN and China, on how to forge closer ties for a common future.
The new FIFA Hub in Jakarta will not only support football development in Indonesia but also serve as a coordination centre for 21 football associations across Southeast and East Asia.
Minister Counselor Nguyen Hoang Nguyen reaffirmed Vietnam’s principled and consistent stance on the Palestine issue, calling for an immediate and lasting ceasefire across the entire Gaza Strip.
PM Anwar Ibrahim affirmed the determination of Malaysia, as ASEAN Chair for 2025, to utilise all viable regional mechanisms of the bloc and work with partners to de-escalate violence and restore a peace process led by Myanmar.
Talking to the Vietnam News Agency on the occasion of the 100th anniversary of the Vietnam’s Revolutionary Press Day (June 21, 1925–2025), Nikulina, who is also a veteran journalist of Russia’s Sputnik News, emphasised the vital role of mainstream journalism in defending the truth and maintaining public trust.
The Ministry of Commerce reported that imports also rose 18% to 29.9 billion USD during the same period, resulting in a trade surplus of 1.1 billion USD. In May alone, Thailand posted a 4.6 billion USD trade surplus with the US and a 4.1 billion USD trade deficit with China.
The World Bank will provide a 2.1 billion USD financing package for Indonesia, focusing oncreating jobs, stimulating economic growth, and enhancing access to clean energy across the country.
Member states also reviewed progress on six priority areas for 2025, including the development of an underground cable framework, the follow-up agreement to the ASEAN Petroleum Security Agreement (APSA), the launch of the ASEAN Energy Efficiency Database, and the rollout of an investment platform for sustainable building initiatives.
In March, Thai Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra met with Formula 1 chief Stefano Domenicali and said Thailand would commission a feasibility study into hosting a Grand Prix on a Bangkok street circuit from 2028.
The proposed giant sea wall aligns with bilateral cooperation and has been designated a national priority, considering that several regions in Indonesia are experiencing land subsidence of 10–15 centimetres per year.
International flights were cancelled including Jetstar and Virgin Australia flights to cities across Australia, and flights of Air India, Air New Zealand, Singapore's TigerAir and China's Juneyao Airlines.
The partnership aims to strengthen collaboration in the exploration and exploitation of mineral resources, including gold, copper, and manganese, as well as in the development of steel, aluminum, and renewable energy industries.
United States-based video streaming giant Netflix is broadening its mobile-only subscription plans in Southeast Asia. (Photo: AFP/VNA)
