The latest streaming service is entirely geared towards smartphones. We tried it out.
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Quibi:
The temptation to watch a flipped episode on the train, bus or tram would be greater than at home in the home office.
Photo: Rafael Zeier
Is there a need for another video streaming service besides Netflix, Amazon, Apple, Disney and so on? Quibi investors believe so, and have put nearly $ 2 billion into American service. He started a week ago.
The Quibi app has been downloaded 1.7 million times since then, announced the company boss CNBC. For comparison, Disney + reported over 50 million subscribers last week. Netflix has around 170 million subscribers worldwide.
What distinguishes Quibi from the competition is the consistent focus on the smartphone. The numerous in-house productions can be viewed in both portrait and landscape format. The individual episodes are between 5 and 10 minutes long and are good for in between.
Hence the name. Quibi stands for Quick Bites.
In Switzerland too
Since the series, documentaries, cooking shows and guide programs are in-house productions, Quibi can already offer them in Switzerland – but without German dubbing or subtitles. Use is free for the first 90 days. After that, it costs CHF 8 per month.
If you try out the app, the first thing that will surprise you is how nimble and elegant it is to use. It’s fun to wipe through the range. If you watch a video, you can turn the cell phone in the middle, and the film switches from portrait to landscape without stuttering – or vice versa.
The change of format works so well that you keep trying incredulously to catch the filmmakers in the event of a mishap. But so far none.
Whether you like the programs on offer is of course a matter of taste. Unlike Disney, Quibi doesn’t have prominent draft horses like Mickey, Star Wars or the Marvel superheroes.
Still, Quibis can List with the participating stars from the film world let see. The billions have attracted prominent names like Steven Spielberg, Reese Witherspoon or Will Smith. However, many of these programs and series are still in the works. However, the comedy “Flipped” is already well liked, in which two extrovert house renovators get into trouble with a drug cartel.
In addition to entertainment programs, Quibi also has news formats, including from the BBC.
Not on TV
Quibi’s best argument against the competition is of little help at the start. Due to the Corona crisis, there are hardly any commuters on the move. The short episodes would be ideal, especially on the train, bus or tram.
The Quibi app currently lacks the ability to transfer the series to a television. The company boss promises that the function should now be submitted as soon as possible.
Conclusion: Since the app is free for the next 90 days, you can get your own picture without risk. One thing is already certain: the Quibi app is technically impressive and the trick with portrait and landscape format is more than a cinematic finger exercise. Whether you like the sometimes very American content is a matter of taste. In the longer term, however, the future content is decisive. They decide whether subscriptions will also be concluded after the free period. Quibi doesn’t work without subscription income. Even a billion dollar budget is used up at some point.
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