Another player enters the market

Hooq may have beaten Netflix to the punch in SEA, but they should still watch out – another player in the highly lucrative video streaming market in SEA has emerged in the form of iFlix, and its CEO is playing for keeps.

iFlix, a startup created by Catcha Group’s CEO Patrick Grove is looking to establish its own brand of streaming in Asian territories, including the Philippines. Created to compete directly with similar streaming services like Netflix and Hooq, the company is focusing on bringing a seamless streaming experience to Asian customers with a distinct focus on mobile.

“We were frustrated that, with such busy work schedules and always being mobile, it was impossible to watch what we wanted when we wanted. We saw that Netflix had pioneered a great internet TV business model, and wondered if that would work in Asia with a focus on mobile,” Grove said during an interview with Tech in Asia.

iFlix is ambitiously planning to deliver over 10,000 hours of American, Asian and localized content to the Philippines and Malaysia when it launches in the middle of 2015. Grove says that they are partnering with 30 top content providers globally, though he did not mention who the partners are.

In the Philippines, iFlix is likely to partner with PLDT and Smart as a logical match to go against Hooq. Specifically, Smart will be looking to strengthen its already large portfolio of streaming partners, and iFlix looks to be the best fit for the company to battle Hooq. While iFlix has revealed no subscription plans as of yet, Grove said that they’ve “endeavored to keep it at as low a price point that will be impossible to say no to.”