Gadget of the Week: Showmax stretches its streams

What is it?

The Showmax streaming service has always given global leader Netflix a run for its money in the local market. Now, it is even shifting the goalposts.

The main way Showmax differentiated itself from Netflix when it first launched in 2015, just months ahead of the arrival in South Africa of the market leader, was to emphasise local content. Netflix began investing heavily in the making of original local content, and Showmax followed suit.

Showmax then introduced English Premier League (EPL) football in its Pro subscription, but eventually had to drop it due to licensing and cost issues. However, this year it was able to offer the EPL on its mobile service, at an additional cost of R69 a month.

This month, it combined both those strategies, introducing full coverage of the local Premier Soccer League (PSL), as part of its mobile streaming service. It is useful that its holding company, MultiChoice, also owns SuperSport, which has the rights to these games. It includes major cup competitions, such as the MTN8 and Nedbank Cup, but the big win is that soccer fans can now watch all premier league games from England and South Africa on mobile devices.

But does the Showmax mobile app live up to the hype? And does this strategic move truly make it the go-to platform for football fans? 

First, for football fans, it is the best-value streaming package currently available, giving access to a wide array of football content at a fraction of what other platforms may charge. The inclusion of the PSL is not as significant as the EPL from an appeal point of view, but it is a monumental step forward for the game, and potentially for Showmax.

From a technical standpoint, the app works well – as long as one has a solid internet connection. Live sports streaming is notorious for demanding high bandwidth, and even Showmax’s data-saving options don’t prevent a full football match from taking a heavy data load.

Lowering the streaming quality does conserve data, but it comes at a cost: image clarity. At lower resolutions on a small screen, fast-paced football, and especially ball-tracking, become harder to follow. 

The ideal, then, is to use it when connected to high-speed Wi-Fi, which is also less likely in more remote or less connected parts of the country. 

However, the app’s interface for live sports is user-friendly. with straightforward navigation, replays and highlights for revisiting key moments.

On the main Showmax app on smart TVs, the user interface is a mixed bag. with the search functionality for older content not as intuitive as one would wish, and the algorithms that tailor content recommendations not as effective as on Netflix, for example.

Here, too, Showmax has moved the goalposts, introducing the Leap TV S2, a new ultra-high-definition (UHD) TV stick made by QVWI. It is a subsidiary of Skyworth and part of set-top box manufacturer Skyblu Technologies, which bought the set-top box business of Altech UEC five years ago.

The Leap allows content to be streamed in 4K and, more importantly, provides a dedicated set of controls for the stick via a Bluetooth remote control device. It has dedicated buttons for Netflix, YouTube, Disney+ and Amazon Prime Video, which tells you it is not a Showmax-specific device. 

However, it was launched last month with a 2-month Showmax subscription bundled into the price, and the Showmax app included on the insides, when one connects to a TV. Built on Google Chromecast technology, it promises easy access to Showmax’s full library of movies, TV shows and documentaries.

What does it cost?

The Showmax Mobile football bundle costs R69 a month. The QVWi Leap TV streaming stick is priced at a recommended retail price of R999. 

Why does it matter?

Showmax CEO Marc Jury puts it this way, with regard to the Leap TV 2. “Our goal has always been to make entertainment accessible to everyone. This partnership helps us achieve our mission to be the home of streaming for Africa by providing our customers with more affordable options to enjoy our fantastic content.” 

The stick and the mobile app represent two opposite ends of the Showmax strategy: the former to improve usability as well as actual use for its mainstream subscribers, and the latter to build on the value offered to its mobile subscribers.  Both of these further differentiate Showmax from its sibling in the MultiChoice group, DStv, better positioning it for a streaming future – regardless of the platform.

What are the biggest negatives?

• Fast-paced football is diminished by slow streams;
• Small screens are not the ideal way to follow the ball.
• Live football is only available on mobile devices.

What are the biggest positives?

• Most cost-effective football streaming subscription service available.
• Vast content offering, with 380 EPL games and all NPL and major local cup tournaments.
• A new way to watch the Showmax content on big screens.

* Arthur Goldstuck is CEO of World Wide Worx and editor-in-chief of Gadget.co.za. Follow him on social media on @art2gee.