JioHotstar crosses 600 million within three months; unveils new AI features

Akash Ambani, Chairman of Reliance Jio Infocomm

JioHotstar, the streaming service formed by the merger of JioCinema and Disney+ Hotstar, has brought over 600 million users on board within three months, including more than 75 million connected televisions, Akash Ambani, Chairman of Reliance Jio Infocomm, said on August 29.

Of these, around 300 million are paying subscribers, making JioHotstar the world's second-largest streaming service, all achieved within India, Ambani said during Reliance Industries' 48th annual general meeting (AGM).

Streaming giant Netflix had reported 301.6 million paid subscribers in the fourth quarter of 2024. Since then, the company has stopped disclosing quarterly paid membership additions.

"With a 34 percent TV market share – equal to the next three networks combined – we are well on our path to serve a billion screens across mobile, TV, and connected devices," Ambani said.

JioStar offers over 3.2 lakh hours of content, which is six times more than the next two streaming platforms combined, with more than 30,000 hours added every year, he added.

"JioStar will continue to expand across platforms and geographies. We have created an experience that combines the best of content, software and AI through JioHotstar. We always want to push the boundaries and give our customers a more elevated experience," Ambani said.

Disney CEO Bob Iger said "India is one of the most important and exciting markets for Disney globally. Its scale, diversity, and deep love for storytelling present enormous opportunities. And through JioStar, we are delivering the very best in entertainment and sports, reaching audiences at an unprecedented scale,"

"By bringing together Reliance's digital reach, execution, and understanding of the Indian consumer, combined with Disney's rich library of world-class storytelling and beloved IP, and of course, India's strong passion for cricket, JioStar has quickly established itself as a global force in media and entertainment," he added.

New JioHotstar features

During the AGM, Ambani unveiled a new voice-enabled search assistant, Riya, that aims to improve content discovery on the service.

"Riya is built for the way you think and speak. Whether it is key moments from your favourite shows, highlight reels of your favourite players, or even a deep-dive match analysis, Riya understands you. Just say what you want, across years, seasons, and episodes, and Riya will curate it for you," he said while demonstrating the feature.

Another feature, Voice Print, utilises AI voice cloning and lip-sync technology to enable people to watch content in their own language.

"For the first time, on the JioHotstar App, you will be able to enjoy sports and entertainment in your favourite Indian language, without losing the magic of the original performance...Whether it is a cricket match or a blockbuster movie, you can now watch it in your own language, in the most natural and authentic way," Ambani said.

JioHotstar is also rolling out JioLenZ, a feature that allows users to explore multiple viewing options tailored to their personal preferences with a single click.

In addition, the company is enhancing its immersive cricket viewing experience, Maxview, with new upgrades such as multiple camera angles, instant highlights, language options, and live scorecards, on the same screen, accessible with a simple swipe.

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