Coronavirus Impact: Streaming Platforms

With the Coronavirus lockdown in motion, expect a lot more shows to be streamed at home. Indian streaming platforms have taken a number of steps to prepare for this surge. From giving users free access to content, to limiting video quality for the sake of the internet, here's a round-up of all the action being taken by Indian streaming platforms during the COVID-19 lockdown period:

– Eros Now is offering 2 months of free access to their library of Bollywood titles and original content using the code STAYSAFE, which users can access without having to provide their payment details and cancel their subscription at a later stage.

– Amazon Prime Video has made a selection of their kids and family content such as Just add Magic, The Dangerous Book for Boys, Wishenpoof, If you give a Mouse a Cookie and more available for free on Prime Video with an Amazon account.

– As of 25th March, the majority of Indian streaming platforms including Netflix, YouTube, Amazon Prime Video, Zee5, ALT Balaji, Hoichoi and more have agreed to limit their bandwidth. At a time where a lot more people are using streaming platforms, the aim is to put less strain on the internet. However, in many cases, this will limit the HD quality available.

– ZEE5 is offering users free access to select movies, original shows and Korean series on its platform.

– Disney Plus has delayed the launch of its upcoming Disney+ Hotstar platform until further notice. This was due to launch on March 29^th and would have given Hotstar users access to the extensive Disney+ library during this lockdown.