SINGAPORE: Southeast Asian streaming services iflix and Hooq have welcomed the entrance of Netflix into the region, the companies told Channel NewsAsia on Thursday (Jan 7). 

Netflix launched in 130 countries across the world - including countries in Southeast Asia - on Thursday.

Both services, including Hooq which is a joint venture involving Singtel, are not available in Singapore. iflix is currently available in Malaysia, Thailand and the Philippines, while Hooq serves the Philippines, Thailand and India. iflix said it is currently not planning to launch in Singapore, as it is focusing on emerging markets.

"The announcement by Netflix is great news from an industry perspective," said iflix Group CEO, Mark Britt. "It reaffirms that the shift in entertainment consumption to on-demand is a global phenomenon."

"As global players enter our markets, we believe that service localisation, as well as accessibility and affordability will be key differentiators," he added.

Hooq's chief executive officer Peter Bithos also said the company "wholeheartedly welcomes the entrance of a large established player to quicken the pace of the evolution of the OTT (over-the-top) category, which is still nascent". 

"We are happy that Netflix is now seeing the same opportunity we have seen," he added. 

"NO CHANGE IN STRATEGY"

Moving ahead, iflix said that there will be no changes in its strategy or pricing despite the presence of the streaming juggernaut in the market. "There is room for multiple players," said Mr Britt. 

He also noted that iflix has been developed to "address infrastructure inconsistencies native to our markets". For example, iflix allows users to watch their shows offline with a download feature, something which Netflix does not have. 

A quick check also showed that iflix has content that Netflix does not have, and vice versa. For example, iflix has Emmy-award winning series Fargo and popular sitcom The Big Bang Theory, while Netflix has their own stable of original content such as Daredevil and Jessica Jones.

Hooq shared iflix's view, saying that a "one-size-fits-all approach will not meet the needs of everyone in emerging markets". 

"On pricing, in places like India, Philippines and Thailand, entertainment must benchmark to the price of a movie ticket and below typical pay TV alternatives," said Mr Bithos. "On content, we remain focused on the best of Hollywood with a strong emphasis on the best of local content - a combination which our target customers require.

"On payments, Hooq is working across the region with mobile carriers and alternative payment providers to offer the payment mechanisms needed for the average Indian, Filipino or Thai."