Over-the-top (OTT) services have taken off in recent years, expanding beyond theaters and stations. OTTs like Netflix and Disney+ have become so popular that it’s hard to imagine anyone not subscribing to them. Nowadays, however, OTTs with various concepts, such as OTTs centered on specific genres such as ‘anime’ and ‘art films’, or OTTs targeting specific countries, are also steadily emerging. Some of them are maintaining their popularity by consistently providing attractive content that differentiates them from other OTTs.
At Screena, we are developing solutions that allow you to chat while watching, not only for large streaming platforms like Netflix and Disney+, but also for smaller streaming services that have a loyal fan base. Along the way, whenever we come across an interesting OTT, we like to write about it to share its charm and fun.
Today, we’ll introduce you to iQIYI.
iQIYI?
iQIYI is a Chinese online streaming platform that was founded in 2010 by Baidu, one of China’s leading technology companies. The platform initially started as a free ad-supported streaming service but has since evolved into a subscription-based model that offers premium content to paying subscribers. iQIYI primarily focuses on the Chinese market, but has expanded it’s availability to other countries and regions as well, including Taiwan, Hong Kong, South Korea, Japan, Malaysia, Singapore, and the United States.
Types of content
iQIYI provides a wide range of content, including TV shows, movies, variety shows, anime, and more, in many different genres, catering to diverse interests and preferences. iQIYI has also invested in original content production, with a focus on producing exclusive dramas, variety shows, and other original content to attract and retain subscribers, which is why some people tend to compare iQIYI with Netflix.
Pros of iQIYI
What personally attracts me to iQIYI is the wide variety in content and its original content, and the option to download the content for offline viewing, which is great for plane rides and other long periods without internet. To add to that I feel their interactive features for some of the reality shows are really great; being able to participate in a show, be it through voting or another type of engagement, makes it really interesting and overall gives users a unique feeling of investment and makes you want to engage more. It’s especially fun to have the ability to alter the plot of a series and being able to experience several different storylines according to the choices you make, which is why I love to hold a watch party with my friends for this type of content; we will discuss what we think is the best option together.
Cons of iQIYI
One of the cons of iQIYI, is that there are limited options for non-Chinese subtitles available, which makes it a struggle for anyone not fluent in Chinese, and some contents are not available to watch outside of China. While you can enjoy iQIYI for free, not all contents are available in the free version either, or only several episodes are free, so if you want to watch the remaining content, you will have to subscribe to iQIYI VIP.
Enjoy iQIYI’s contents together with your friends by using Screena’s watch party service!
We are having a special watch party event this Friday, where we will be giving away 3 iQIYI VIP memberships, so make sure not to miss out on this opportunity to try out iQIYI VIP for free!
Screena
Bringing web3 to the screen near you 📽️ As a Web3 watch party platform, Screena is creating “the joy of watching together” based on video content in the Web3 space. We believe there is a future in connecting content and blockchain.
Official Website: http://www.screena.com/
Ok-nim NFT: https://bit.ly/3DkpIK1
