MultiChoice has cut the price of the streaming version of DStv Premium, provided customers commit to a 12-month contract.
Satellite pricing remains unchanged.
The new streaming price for DStv Premium – R699/month – includes the full suite of DStv entertainment and news channels, plus all of the SuperSport channels.
The decision to cut the price, provided customers agree to a 12-month commitment, comes at the same time that MultiChoice – which is facing competitive pressure from the likes of Netflix and Disney+ – has announced a refresh of the DStv Stream app.
“The latest update introduces significant updates to the user interface. Live TV rows now play back channels as users browse, letting them preview content directly from the homepage, allowing them to immediately jump into live TV,” MultiChoice said in a statement on Monday.
“Live TV” rows now display not only channels but also events, making it easier for users to see what’s happening now and what’s coming up next, the company said. “This functionality makes planning the viewing experience quick and simple, particularly around major events such as sports games.”
MultiChoice said early numbers show the software updates are making a positive impact on the user experience, resulting in a 23% increase in the number of series and movies streamed on demand; a 17% increase in the number of titles that customers have added to their watchlists; and an overall 8% increase in content watched on DStv Stream compared to the previous month.
New sections
There are also new sections on the platform, designed to improve content discovery:
- Channel homepages: The app now has dedicated homepages for all channels, complete with billboards and curated content.
- Sports tournament homepages: Dedicated pages for tournaments allow sports enthusiasts to access all relevant content, including previously played games, upcoming matches, highlights and video-on-demand content related to the tournament.
- Studio homepages: The new studio pages showcase the latest releases and popular titles from each studio.
- Watch from Start: This new feature allows users to go to the beginning of any live event instantly.
“The update also introduces eight new display types for video-on-demand rows, providing richer and more engaging previews, which encourage users to explore content beyond their usual selections. The ‘Explore More’ section offers deeper dives into genres, collections, and curated content, giving trending and niche content greater visibility,” MultiChoice said.
“There’s also updated navigation on tvOS and iOS platforms, which aims to make content discovery more intuitive and visually engaging.” — © 2024 NewsCentral Media