According to a 2019 report from Ernst & Young (EY) in collaboration with the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI), Indians spend 30% of their time on mobile phones, of which 70% is on entertainment.
Noting the demand for mobile entertainment, Netflix has launched a mobile-only subscription plan at Rp199 (US$2.89) per month — the cheapest plan available worldwide currently.
“Our members in India watch more on their mobiles than members anywhere else in the world — and they love to download our shows and films.
“We believe this new plan will make Netflix even more accessible and better suit people who like to watch on their smartphones and tablets — both on the go and at home,” said Ajay Arora, director, Product Innovation, Netflix.
Subscribers of the new mobile plan will get to enjoy all of Netflix’s content — uninterrupted and without ads — in standard definition (SD) on one smartphone or tablet at a time.
Earlier this month, Netflix commenced the production of five new original series in India. It has also invested heavily in Indian films and series across all genres and for all generations, including much-loved hits like Sacred Games, Chopsticks and Mighty Little Bheem.
All this will inevitably increase spending among home-grown OTT platforms to deliver more local content.