Hotstar is an Indian OTT service that offers a wide variety of content for its subscribers. It provides access to Bollywood productions, Hollywood movies and live sports. As of now, it has around 18 million subscribers, but it has the potential to reach 100 million by 2025. With a growing list of original programming such as Kay Kay Menon’s Special Ops, Hotstar is expected to grow even more.
The service is owned by Star India, a media conglomerate that is also part of the Walt Disney company. In the year 2019, Hotstar set a new record for the most people watching a live event on an over-the-top service. Its broadcasts include cricket, badminton, soccer and hockey.
Hotstar is currently available on iOS and Android devices. You can also download the application on Mac and Windows computers. Once you have downloaded the app, you can open it on any device, including Samsung TVs. If you want to watch Hotstar content from anywhere in the world, you can use a VPN.
Hotstar holds the rights to several sporting events, including the annual IPL. This enables the service to generate significant ad revenue. By holding these rights, it is the second highest revenue-earning OTT platform in India after YouTube. However, Hotstar’s subscribers tend to fall off after the tournament ends.
Hotstar has a large catalog of Hindi and other local language shows, as well as international and Disney content. The streaming service has acquired the right to broadcast the quadrennial ICC World Cup. Besides broadcasting sports, Hotstar broadcasts kabaddi, martial arts, and e-sports. They also broadcast popular TV shows and regional movies on demand.
Some of the most popular Hotstar content includes films from Marvel, Star Wars, and other entertainment brands. Subscribers can also view TV series like The Fault in Our Stars and Game of Thrones. Those who subscribe to the Premium plan also have access to ad-free viewing for select TV shows.
While Hotstar has a lot of content, its biggest competitor is Netflix. Although Netflix is a more established streaming service, it has fewer than two million subscribers. Also, while it offers a vast catalog of content, it does not offer many titles in 4K. And it charges for the premium version of the service.
Hotstar and other OTT services have a much larger potential market in India. According to research, the Indian streaming industry is estimated to grow at 21.8% compounded annually until 2023. Hotstar is expected to be the second largest player in that field.
Disney Plus Hotstar is a partnership between Disney and Star India. The streaming service will feature original content from Disney. Users can access the content from their Smart TVs, iOS and Android devices. Additionally, users can enjoy the full library of Disney films and television shows, as well as live sports.
To begin using the service, you will need to register a Hotstar account. During registration, you will be asked to provide your email address and password. Afterward, you can download the Hotstar application on your computer or mobile device.