Showmax is set to migrate its user base to the Peacock platform on 12 February 2024, accompanied by enhancements like a data-saving feature, and revamped pricing plans that introduce an option to watch Premier League soccer.
A present the monthly subscription for the Showmax Entertainment plan is R99. Following the migration, this price will drop to R89 per month. The updated plans will also grant users access to live Premier League soccer matches on mobile devices for R69 per month.
Marc Jury, CEO of MultiChoice South Africa and Showmax says: “Showmax wants to make it effortless to access and afford the stories that you love.
Streams will be available in a maximum video resolution of 1080p. Showmax says that, currently, there is not a significant demand to introduce 4K streaming, even though the global streaming platform Peacock offers 4K HDR in North America, asserting that the technology is readily available.
The updated app will offer users the flexibility to control their data consumption.
“We know that data is a hurdle that we need to overcome,” says Jury.
A new setting allows users to specify the amount of data they wish to consume per hour, with four streaming qualities to choose from: data saving, basic, good, and best.
Showmax streaming data usage:
| Web + TVVideo on demand | MobileVideo on demand & live | |||||
| Description | Max resolution | Data usage VOD | Description | Max resolution | Data usage VOD | Data usage Live |
| Data Saving | 288p | Up to 100MB/h | Data Saving | 144p | Up to 40MB/h | Up to 40MB/h |
| Basic | 540p | Up to 350MB/h | Basic | 360p | Up to 160MB/h | Up to 240MB/h |
| Good | 720p | Up to 700MB/h | Good | 432p | Up to 270MB/h | Up to 500MB/h |
| Best | 1080p | Up to 1.2GB/h | Best | 1080p | Up to 1.2GB/h | Up to 2.3GB/h |
The streamer is scheduled to launch 21 new Showmax Originals in February alone.
Existing customers will receive a communication on how to access the new app.
* Jason Bannier is a data analyst at World Wide Worx and writer for Gadget.co.za. Follow him on Twitter and Threads at @jas2bann.