Amazon and Discovery test customer data sharing
Amazon and Discovery announced they are testing customer data sharing with Discovery+ on Amazon Channels in Europe. The agreement is a step toward a potential new business model where Amazon and a third-party streamer would co-manage the customer relationship. It remains to be seen if the test would extend to the U.S. and other streaming services.
The NPD Take:
- Perhaps the growing lack of primary streaming services on Amazon Channels is driving the company to consider share coveted consumer data. Indeed, HBO Max, Disney+, Netflix, Hulu and others are absent from the channel’s eco-system.
- Warner-Discovery is in an interesting position to negotiate and navigate a new path forward as HBO Max was just pulled and they will soon have the joint leverage of Max and Discovery+.
LG partners with Apple TV+ for a three-month free trial
Beginning November 15, LG Smart TV owners with a compatible device will be able to get a three month-free trial of AppleTV+. Customers will have until February 18, 2022 to sign-up. The deal is available on compatible 2016-2021 smart TVs in 80 different countries. The news comes in time for new titles premiering on the service including Korean language original series, Dr. Brain and Tom Hanks starring in Finch while also promoting other popular Apple TV+ originals including Ted Lasso, The Morning Show and Isaac Asimov’s Foundation.
The NPD Take:
- As we’ve seen over the last few months, AppleTV has reverted back to offering free trials, this time through other device partners as the streamer aims to gain traction in the hypercompetitive SVOD landscape.
- LG is also looking for opportunities to increase time spent with webOS as over four in ten smart TVs have a streaming media player attached.
Potential Discovery+ HBO Max bundle on the horizon
During Discovery’s earnings call, it was mentioned that Discovery+ and HBO Max may bundle ahead of finalizing the merger. The move would be the first step toward potentially combining the two services into one platform. No timeline for a potential bundle has been announced as of yet.
The NPD Take:
- Is there a week where we’re not writing about the Great Re-bundling of pay TV?
- The bundling strategy would offer the company time to develop a best-in-class platform when the two services merge into one system.