App of the Week: Voot

App of the Week: Voot
HIGHLIGHTS

A rich video on demand platform with a social twist

It's been some time since Netflix arrived in India and set the video on demand segment of media consumption afire. We've also seen a few Indian television networks trying to get into the game with Hotstar getting partner content from HBO and the popular YouTube group AIB. Pretty soon, another significant entrant in this area was television network Viacom 18, which is behind successful channels like Colors, MTV India, VH1, Nickelodeon India and more. It did that with an app, and that app is Voot.

The USP of Voot is its content with shows that have been quite popular over Indian television available without any additional charges or subscription. Some of the shows that have been hugely popular with the Indian audience, like Bigg Boss and Balika Vadhu, are available in their entirety on the platform. Also available is content from regional channels that Viacom18 owns. There is also a dedicated kids section that contains some very popular shows.

The app has some quite interesting design elements and features in it. For instance, you can react to any of the videos on the platform by swiping right and choosing one of the 6 trendy shouts available. You can also share the episode over multiple social networks and messaging platforms. And to begin with, the app shows you a tailored page of top picks based on your usage. Also, some of the shows have additional content. How to find them? On each show page that you land on, swipe down find hidden content cards if they're available. The kids' section comes with a parental lock PIN that locks the app in that section until it is entered. And these aren't even all the features.

A combination of great content and fun social features sets Voot apart from other emerging platforms. It also has exclusive content in tie up with shows on its network. While it would be great if there were some actual streaming related options like casting and resolution selection, as of now, Voot can keep you engaged for hours.

 

Arnab Mukherjee
Digit.in
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Digit.in
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