Launched in April 2020, HUAWEI Video, the on-demand, pre-installed video application on Huawei smart devices, has already clocked impressive growth in the range of available content, regional relevance, and the number of active users.
The combined number of free and paid-for TV channels on HUAWEI Video now exceeds 100, including a range of premium regional channels from MBC and Rotana. Users have access to content from a wide selection of channels across categories – news, general entertainment, movies, music, and more.
Even for those that choose not to subscribe, there is great value in HUAWEI Video. All viewers can watch a broad, and growing range of ad-supported Hollywood movies and Arabic language series.
HUAWEI Video+, the premium version of the video streaming service, takes things up a level. Now available in 13 markets across the MENA region, subscribers can watch more than 20,000 movies and TV series from around the world.
The platform recently partnered with STARZPLAY, a leading regional content provider, to offer discounts of up to 63 per cent to subscribers in KSA, UAE, Kuwait, and Oman, when signing up to STARZPLAY through HUAWEI Video. Building on the strong customer response to the HUAWEI Video and STARZPLAY collaboration announced last year, users can benefit from tremendous value as it offers access to STARZPLAY and HUAWEI Video+. Viewers will especially appreciate no longer needing to switch between streaming platforms, as they can instantly access the constantly growing library of premium STARZPLAY content on their HUAWEI Video app, at an exceptional value. This partnership followed a strong collection of local platforms including Weyyak and Shofha.
One of the most appreciated features of HUAWEI Video is how user-friendly it is, while it is continuously enhancing and refining functionalities. It offers an intuitive user interface that uses a comprehensive content curation strategy, with organised categories customised for each market.
The interface makes cohesive use of display banners with a considered repetition factor and an intelligent personalized recommendations engine. Layouts are diverse yet consistent, and the integration of in-app curation, social media, and push notifications ensures that viewers do not inadvertently miss out on content that matters to them.
The user experience will reach a new level with the imminent launch of HUAWEI Video’s newest feature, Replay TV. In time for Ramadan 2021, users can view previously aired programs from 80+ channels, including some of the region’s most-watched channels. All previously aired programs up to 14 days are viewable with features such as pause, rewind and fast forward.
For media professionals and brands, HUAWEI Video offers an unprecedented opportunity to reach a new untapped audience through in-app advertising. Huawei Mobile Services (HMS) has recently launched HUAWEI Ads, a real-time advertising marketplace through which media companies can buy impressions using programmatic technology. Buyers can place adverts inside the HUAWEI Video app in a range of formats, including splash, native, banner, and video roll ads.
“HUAWEI Video is a direct response to our customers’ desire to be able to watch their favourite channels, TV shows and movies on their smart devices at any time and any place,” said Noha Jadallah, HUAWEI Video Operations Lead, Huawei Mobile Services. “We’ve been successful in meeting their needs with a platform that provides a wealth of content, is user-friendly, and makes intelligent recommendations based on their viewing history and preferences.”
“For the region’s media community, HUAWEI Video opens up access to a new and sizeable audience of affluent, tech-savvy content consumers. Through in-app advertising, purchased through the HUAWEI Ads marketplace, brands can also achieve high levels of consumer engagement and follow through.”
