Quibi, the highly anticipated short-form video platform backed by dozens of Hollywood A-listers and executives, finally launched.
“Much has been made anticipating this launch and its timing... will this be the Tiktok of professional video content, or something more like Tidal — an also-ran competitor with a substantial war chest but no chance of breaking out into the mainstream?” - Chris
Quibi, which is short for “quick bites,” has also been compared to “bite-sized“ Apple TV+ or Netflix, meaning it serves up content to short attention spans. It’s also been called a curated YouTube that you have to pay for. Media mogul Jeffrey Katzenberg (who reinvigorated Disney in the late 80s, and then founded and sold DreamWorks Animation for $3.8 billion) is behind Quibi, along with co-founder Meg Whitman, the former CEO of eBay. Beyond it’s high-profile founders, Quibi has generated so much hype pre-launch in part due to the money behind it. The service raised nearly $2 billion before it launched. 💸
Quibi’s short-form programming includes shows where every episode is 10 minutes long, and many are shorter than that. You, the viewer, pay $5 per month to access these shows (with ads), and $8 per month to access an ad-free experience. For context, Hulu’s basic plan costs $5.99 per month, Apple TV+ costs $4.99 per month, and Netflix’s basic plan costs $8.99 per month.
Quibi’s lineup of homegrown shows feature a ton of well-known stars, including Joe Jonas, Idris Elba, Sophie Turner, Chrissy Teigen, Chance the Rapper, LeBron James, Jennifer Lopez, Reese Witherspoon, Liam Hemsworth, Christoph Waltz, Lena Waithe, Nicole Richie, Demi Lovato, Will Smith, Laura Dern, Kevin Hart, Tyra Banks, Zac Efron, Bill Murray and Laurence Fishburne. But so far, Quibi’s original programming has left a mediocre impression on critics, at best.
The reviews from the PH community were mixed. Some folks were disappointed that Quibi doesn’t support AirPlay, meaning you can’t cast any of Quibi’s content to your TV. Others wish there was more interesting content on the platform. And others were simply excited to see where Quibi goes. 📱
“Given the popularity of short clips and people running out of things to do at home these days, Quibi will be a home run.” - Omid
“Now couldn't be a better time for Quibi to launch while everyone's indoors.” - Ryan
“Quibi was built for people with short attention spans that primarily use mobile devices. Americans now spend more time on their smartphones than watching TV. This (along with Snapchat Originals) is embracing that trend and introducing a new form of ‘bite sized" entertainment.’" - Jared
Tell us what you think of Quibi here. 👈
Use this to find streamed live events while you're stuck at home. 👀
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