Retail News CRM

Tag: streaming

  • Shanghai Fashion Week goes digital with Alibaba

    Shanghai Fashion Week goes digital with Alibaba

    Shanghai Fashion Week is partnering with Alibaba’s B2C marketplace Tmall to hold its first fully digital event due to restrictions on gatherings caused by the coronavirus outbreak.

    The entire roster of runway shows will be streamed online on Tmall from March 24–30. More than 150 international brands and designers will showcase their latest autumn-winter collections via the Alibaba Group digital platforms.

    Readers can watch the opening show of Shanghai Fashion Week here tonight (March 24) at 6pm Beijing time via Taobao Live from your phone or computer watchers of this year’s Shanghai Fashion Week can immediately purchase the items they see on the runway without having to wait for the collections to hit the shelves.

    “We have integrated some of Alibaba’s most advanced technologies to bring a new and elevated experience to consumers,” said Tmall Fashion and FMCG GM Mike Hu. “This partnership with Shanghai Fashion Week allows us to leverage our experience in digitizing brick-and-mortar retail stores and explore a new format for the brand and product launches, bringing together technologies like live-streaming, short-form videos, DingTalk and Tmall Flagship Store 2.0 in a full-chain solution.”

    Covid-19 has forced the cancellation and rescheduling of many global fashion events, including the Milan Fashion Week originally scheduled for February

    Tmall intends for its “cloud launch” format to broaden out the reach and appeal of traditional product-launch events this year. According to material released by the firm, brands will interact with consumers virtually across an extended timeline and physical locations, from warm-up previews to the live broadcast and post-event interviews.

    The platform plans to team up with global brands to launch 360-degree marketing campaigns that cater to Chinese audiences, said Hu.

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  • Spotify introduces customizable profiles on Android and iOS

    Spotify introduces customizable profiles on Android and iOS

    Spotify has been on fire since the beginning of the month, as multiple updates added important new features and improvements to the music streaming. The most recent changes involve Spotify profiles and the option to customize them.

    Starting this week, depending on what music you’re listening to on your phone, you’ll be able to update your Spotify profile, including the photo and username, to create a personalized music page representative of your music tastes.

    Spotify users on Android and iOS, regardless of whether they’re using a smartphone or tablet, can head to Home / Settings / View Profile to see their recently played artists, followers, and public playlists. Then, tapping “Edit Profile” will allow users to customize their status starting with the photo, which can be either JPEG or PNG.

    Keep in mind that if you’re using an iPhone or iPad, the picture must be less than 10MB. You can even remove your photo completely if you didn’t link your Spotify account to Facebook, in which case you’ll have to disconnect the two from the Settings menu.

    Apart from adding a photo to your profile, you can also change your Spotify display name. To do that, simply go to Home / Settings / View Profile / Edit Profile and tap your display name, then type your new display name (make sure to save).

    If you’re proud of your new profile and want to share it with your friends, you can do that by heading to Home / Settings / View Profile and tapping the three dots in the top right where you’ll find the Share option.

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  • Google to bring Play Music’s most useful feature to YouTube Music

    Google to bring Play Music’s most useful feature to YouTube Music

    Google is reportedly testing Play Music’s best feature for YouTube Music, the ability to upload your music library. It’s one of the features that prevent many Play Music users from moving to YouTube Music despite the fact that Google plans to deprecate the former at some point.

    Google is internally testing music library upload for YouTube Music, which suggests the Mountain View company is very close to transitioning Play Music users to YouTube Music, something that should have happened last year.

    The change doesn’t come as a surprise since YouTube Music’s head confirmed that Google plans to allow Play Music users to preserve and migrate their collection, playlists, and preferences to YouTube Music.

    What’s surprising is the fact that Google missed its own imposed deadline and didn’t manage to add this feature to YouTube Music last year. And we don’t even know if the music library upload will even land this year, although the fact that the feature is already being tested internally suggests that we’re not very far from a public release.

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  • Netflix finally lets users turn off one of its most annoying features

    Netflix finally lets users turn off one of its most annoying features

    Everyone was complaining about Netflix’s autoplay previews, but it took the streaming service quite a long time to do something about it. Although the feature is still active in all Netflix’s apps, we’ve been given the option to completely turn them off.

    It’s been years since we’ve asked for such an option, but for some reason, Netflix didn’t think it should prioritize the removal of autoplay previews. Ironically, in an announcement, Netflix says: “We’ve heard the feedback loud and clear – members can now control whether or not they see autoplay previews on Netflix.”

    We think it’s great that Netflix listens to users’ feedback, but we also believe that it only responds to those requests that fit its marketing strategy. In any case, if you want to turn off Netflix’s most annoying feature, here is what you have to do:

    1. Sign in to Netflix from a web browser
    2. Select Manage Profiles from the menu
    3. Select the profile you’d like to update

    From there, you can check or uncheck the option to autoplay previews while browsing on all devices, including Android and iOS. Keep in mind that the changes might not show up immediately, but one thing you can do to benefit from the new feature is to switch to another profile, and then switch back to reload your profile with the updated setting.

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  • Netflix CEO admits Disney+ hurt it in the U.S.

    Netflix CEO admits Disney+ hurt it in the U.S.

    Netflix on Tuesday announced its fourth-quarter earnings for 2019 and the streaming video company reported the addition of 420,000 net new subscribers in the U.S. during the period. But before you use that stat as proof that the November launch of Disney+ did not effect Netflix during the fourth quarter, guess again. The company expected that it would report 600,000 new subscribers in the states for the period. The 180,000 subscriber shortfall might have been related to the strong start that Disney+ got off to, with 10 million subscribers signed up in the first 24 hours.
    Netflix CEO Reed Hastings admitted after the earnings announcement that Disney+ has “great” content and said that the rival streamer’s strong lineup “takes away a little from us.” While Netflix often falls short of its estimates (it happens half the time, says the Times), Netflix stated that during this past quarter it was impacted by the seven weeks that Disney+ was up and running during the fourth quarter. In the states, Netflix has 61 million subscribers and expects that figure to keep rising until it hits 90 million.
    Netflix added 8.4 million net new subscribers globally from October through December and set company records for the number of subscribers it picked up in Latin America, Asia and Europe during the period. On a quarterly basis, Netflix saw its global subscriber list rise 5.5% bringing the total to 167.1 million customers.
    Netflix will also have some more competition coming starting in the second quarter of this year when NBC Universal’s Peacock streamer launches. The latter’s inventory of content will include extremely popular fare including The Office. NBC/Universal reportedly paid $500 million for a five-year exclusive run for the sitcom on Peacock starting in 2021. The service will have two ad-supported tiers that will be free to Comcast and Cox subscribers although anyone can pay $4.99 a month for the Premium service. Comcast and Cox subscribers can also pay a monthly fee for ad-free streaming.
    Hastings doesn’t expect that Disney+ will negatively impact Netflix in the long term. “Most of their growth in the future is coming out of the linear TV,” the executive said. And frankly, the same might turn out to be true for Peacock.
    During the fourth quarter, Netflix reported net income of $570 million or $1.30 per share. That compares to net of $134 million or 30 cents per share during 2018’s fourth quarter. But last year’s quarter includes a $438 million tax benefit. Revenue rose 30% from the $4.2 billion recorded during 2018’s Q4 to $5.7 billion in 2019. The company announced that The Witcher was viewed by 76 million member households. But Netflix has changed the definition of a view to mean that a subscriber “chose to watch and did watch for at least 2 minutes — long enough to indicate the choice was intentional.” Previously, a viewer had to watch 70% or more of an episode or film to qualify as a view. As a result, Netflix’s future view counts will be hiked by 35%. For example, the number of views credited to Our Planet went from 33 million under the old definition to 45 million using the new definition.
    For the current quarter, Netflix estimates that it will add 7 million net new subscribers globally vs the 9.6 million it added during last year’s first quarter. Netflix expects to see elevated churn levels in the U.S. from January through March. Once again alluding to Disney+, the company’s Chief Financial Officer Spencer Neumann said that Netflix has been experiencing “some elevated churn from pricing and competition.”
  • Hulu launches new rewards system for select viewers

    Hulu launches new rewards system for select viewers

    After increasing the prices of its streaming services, Hulu announced a new rewards system for those who love to binge. A new ad system is now available for Hulu viewers who like to watch TV shows back-to-back, the company announced.

    The new ad experience has been specially designed for binge-watchers, so here is how it will work. If you plan to watch an entire season of your favorite show in one sitting or at least several episodes, you will certainly qualify for Hulu’s new rewards system.

    Let’s say you’re watching a show and you reach the third episode, then you’ll be able to choose a reward from Hulu, as the streaming service will let you choose from either an ad-free episode or a unique offer from its brand partners.

    Speaking of brand partners, Hulu announced that for the time being, it will give binge-watchers offers from the following brands: Kellog’s, Maker’s Mark and Georgia-Pacific. Of course, Hulu may add more brands in the future, but for now, you’re limited to these three. Or, you can always choose the ad-free episode and don’t bother with any special offers from these advertisers.

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  • New Apple Music subscribers receiving six months of service for free

    New Apple Music subscribers receiving six months of service for free

    Apple is trying to make Shazam, its rather new acquisition, more popular among audiophiles and music lovers in general. The Cupertino-based company now offers a six-month trial to all new Apple Music subscribers, but the redeeming procedure goes through the Shazam app.

    From now until Cyber Monday, if you’ve never been subscribed to Apple Music you’ll be getting six months of service for free. If you for some reason dropped your subscription, you’re still eligible for the deal, it’s just that you’ll receive three months of free Apple Music instead of six when you resubscribe.

    To redeem the Black Friday offer, you’ll need to download the Shazam app on your iOS device via the App Store. Then, simply open the Shazam app, head to Library and a pop up with the Limited Time offer should appear in the column of Recent Shazams.

    According to Apple, the Apple Music promo offer is available until December 2 only for iOS users in the following countries: Canada, USA, and the UK .

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  • Hulu is the latest streaming platform to announce a price hike

    Hulu is the latest streaming platform to announce a price hike

    Hulu is just the latest name on the long list of streaming services that increased their prices within the past few years. Netflix, YouTube TV, and AT&T TV Now are just some of the most popular platforms that admitted defeat and decided to make customers pay more for their services.

    Starting December 18, customers who wish to subscribe to Hulu + Live TV will have to pay no less than $55 per month, up $10 from its current price of $45 per month, Hulu announced. Of course, existing customers will be affected by the price hike as well, so they should see the changes reflected in their subsequent billing cycle after December 18.

    The new price better reflects the substantial value of Hulu + Live TV and allows us to continue offering all of the popular live news, sports and entertainment programming included in the plan.

    Hulu recommends those who can’t afford to pay for Hulu + Live TV to choose one of its less expensive on-demand plans during those months when there’s nothing interesting to watch that would only be available through Hulu + Live.

    Hulu + Live TV includes all of Hulu’s on-demand content, access to over 60 live sports, news and entertainment channels, as well as Hulu Originals like This is Us, The Good Doctor, Family Guy, ER and Lost.

    The price changes might be hard to stomach for many Hulu customers, but at least they’ll have the option to switch back and forth between plans to best suit their needs.

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  • Apple Music gains new Replay feature

    Apple Music gains new Replay feature

    Apple is bringing a new feature to its music streaming service in the hopes to bring Apple Music on par with Spotify and other similar services. The new feature is called Replay and lets Apple Music users check out their favorite music from 2019.

    Simply put, Apple Music subscribers will get a playlist of the most played songs from 2019, as well as playlists for every year they’ve been subscribed to the service, retroactively. All songs alongside playlists can be added to the Apple Music Library to allow users to stream them anytime they want.

    More importantly, Apple Music Replay can be shared with others or posted to social media. Unlike Spotify’s Wrapped feature that’s basically an annual retrospective. Apple Music Replay will continue to be updated throughout the year.

    According to Apple, the playlist and all data insights are updated on Sundays to reflect subscribers’ latest listening activity. Think of Apple Music Replay as a compilation of favorites, which changes throughout the year, not just at the end.

    The new feature is now available from the Apple Music app across all platforms, including via the web, so give it a spin until the beginning of the next year when it will become a blank slate waiting to be filled with your favorite music.

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  • Spotify brings back Google Home Mini freebie

    Spotify brings back Google Home Mini freebie

    Remember when the Google Home Mini was deemed the world’s best-selling smart speaker, despite Amazon dominating the vendor ranks both back then and in pretty much every single market report released over the last 12 months or so? The very reasonable price and robust list of features of the search giant’s diminutive Google Assistant device might not be the only reasons the Home Mini was able to achieve that feat, as the gadget’s shipment numbers were no doubt inflated by various promotions offering people the opportunity to pay nothing for the “bestseller.”

    The latest such deal is actually a revival of a similar offer from last year when select Spotify Premium subscribers were eligible for free Google Home Mini units just for using the world’s most popular music streaming service. This time, it’s even easier to join the giveaway, as both Family account holders and individual subscribers can qualify for a unique promotional code towards a gratis Home Mini smart speaker redeemable on the US Google Store.

    Once again, you’re looking at a US-only promotion, although if history is any indication, there’s a good chance availability will be expanded to other regions in the near future. The terms and conditions are relatively straightforward and not particularly hard to meet, requiring you be a new or existing Spotify Premium Individual or Premium Family subscriber registered directly through the platform (and not a third-party service like a cable or telecommunications provider), as well as pay for your unlimited, ad-free music streaming rights with a recurring method such as PayPal or a credit or debit card.

    Predictably enough, those who claimed a free Google Home Mini last time around are not eligible for an additional complimentary smart speaker, and in case you’re wondering, the offer is not valid on the new Nest Mini, even though the $49 list price has gone unchanged. Finally, while Spotify technically mentions November 15 as the end date of the actual deal and December 31 as the expiration date of the Google Store promo codes, you shouldn’t act shocked if supplies were to run out earlier. After all, Google can’t just give away millions of these voice-controlled bad boys for free.

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  • YouTube TV subscribers can now offer 2 weeks of free service to friends

    YouTube TV subscribers can now offer 2 weeks of free service to friends

    It looks like YouTube TV is running a promotion aimed at its subscribers to bring more people under its umbrella. Many YouTube TV subscribers received a free trial code that they can share with friends and family who’d like to check out the service for the first time.

    The code is sent via email and contains a shareable link or code (or both) to make it easier for potential subscribers to redeem the offer. To offer the two weeks extended free trial code, you’ll have to forward the email to whoever you wish to benefit from the offer, or you could share the link directly.

    We can’t confirm if these 2-week free trial codes are given to all YouTube TV subscribers in the US, but if you get one, make sure to share it with whomever you want fast. The promotion will only last until October 16, so those who are given these codes have five more days to redeem them.

    Currently, YouTube TV offers access to more than 70 TV channels, including ABC, CBS, NBC, Fox, AMC, CNN, Discovery, and ESPN. A cloud-based DVR service with unlimited storage that saves recordings for nine months is included in the $50 monthly subscription, which can be shared among six accounts.

  • Spotify update adds Siri support on iOS 13

    Spotify update adds Siri support on iOS 13

    Spotify quietly released a new update for its iOS app which brings important improvements and new features. The most important is Siri support on iOS 13, which means that you’ll be able to control your Spotify app on iPhone, iPad, Carplay, Airpods, and HomePode via Airplay.

    After applying the latest update, simply say “Play [artist] on Spotify” and your iOS 13-powered device should do the rest. Be sure to mention Spotify though, otherwise, Siri will start Apple Music by default.

    Another important new addition is Apple TV support, which means that you can now download the app via the tvOS App Store or enable “automatically install apps” in tvOS settings to install it.

    Last but not least, Spotify has introduced low data mode on iOS 13. Basically, this means that the app will now turn on Data Saver when your iOS device’s Low Data Mode is turned on.

    All the improvements added in the update should work with all the devices running iOS 13, but 9to5mac discovered that the HomePod does not recognize Siri song requests yet. The issue might be addressed in a future iOS update, so you might want to try again after iOS 13.2 gets released.

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  • Apple Music massive update adds dark mode

    Apple Music massive update adds dark mode

    Apple Music beta experimented with a couple of new features that were made available to testers not long ago. Starting today, all those features added to the beta app are available to everyone who uses the Apple Music app on their Android phones.

    First and foremost, Apple Music now has a brand new dark mode, specially designed for low-light environments. It should be easy on the eyes and save some of your phone’s battery at the same time, so we strongly suggest using it whenever possible.

    The next major improvement is Chromecast support, a new change that lets Apple Music users stream their favorite music to their TV or connected speakers. Two other new features have been implemented in this update: live lyrics and access to live radio stations.

    The first allows Apple Music users to listen to their favorite music with perfectly timed lyrics, while the second new feature listed above will give them access to more than 100,000 broadcast radio stations from around the world.

    All the new features and improvements mentioned above are available in the latest version of Apple Music for Android, which you can download now via Google Play Store.

  • Disney+ goes up for pre-order in the US with no special discounts

    Disney+ goes up for pre-order in the US with no special discounts

    If you remain undecided between retaining your Netflix and chill rights and giving a newcomer to the increasingly crowded video streaming market a shot to impress you, it might be a good idea to think and act fast. At least if you’re considering becoming an early Disney+ adopter.

    While the high-profile service owned by The Walt Disney Company is still scheduled to start streaming for the masses on November 12, you can already pre-order either a monthly or yearly subscription in the US. Unfortunately, both options appear to be available at their regular prices, so it’s unclear why one would want to rush and pay $6.99 or $69.99 in advance… apart from scoring bragging rights.

    Then again, those are already significantly lower rates than what Netflix is typically charging for a similar albeit richer product. As reported in a European pilot program, the Disney+ library is far from impressive for the time being, including a limited number of Disney, Pixar, Marvel, Star Wars, and National Geographic titles.

    ut the list is expected to grow at a solid pace with new original feature films like “Lady and the Tramp” and “Noelle” this holiday season, highly anticipated series like “WandaVision”, “Loki”, and “The Falcon and the Winter Soldier” in the next couple of years, as well as various exclusive documentaries and “short-form content.”

    Ultimately, you’ll have to decide for yourselves if a decent start and a bunch of big promises will be enough to make you turn your back on the likes of Netflix, HBO, and Hulu. Of course, you can also bundle Disney+ with Hulu and ESPN+ for the insanely affordable monthly rate of $12.99, but that special offer is actually not available during the pre-order period of the new streaming service Apple will try to challenge at an even lower price point.

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  • Spotify brings back the home screen widget for Android

    Spotify brings back the home screen widget for Android

    After removing the home screen widget for Android about a month ago, Spotify has decided to bring it back from the dead. Although the reason the feature was discontinued probably had something to do with it not being used by too many Spotify customers, it appears that people weren’t happy by the change.

    Spotify announced that following users feedback, it has decided to revive the feature and even make it better. Starting today, the Android Widget for Android is back, and it brings some improvements with it.

    The widget is now resizable, but some stability issues have been fixed as well. The Android Widget will show up on your home screen after you update to the latest version of Spotify. The new version of the app has already been released in the Google Play Store, so the Android Widget should be available to everyone now.

    If you’re on the latest version of the app, then Spotify will show in the widget menu on your device, so make sure to check the new feature after the update if you want to take advantage of the Android Widget.

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