Crunchyroll adds Prime Video channel
On the heels of its recent expansion into FAST, Crunchyroll just added a channel to Prime Video. The Fan package runs $7.99 a month and includes the entire Crunchyroll library, as well as new content shortly after it premieres in Japan. For $2 more per month, the Mega Fan package includes the ability to download titles for offline viewing and will include more features over time. The total Crunchyroll library includes 1,300 titles, including 46,000 episodes and over 24,000 hours of available content. Crunchyroll, the world leader in anime content, is owned as a joint venture between Sony Pictures Entertainment and Aniplex Japan. Sony acquired rival streamer Funimation in 2017 and Crunchyroll in 2021. The combined anime service boasts over 10.5 million paying subscribers.
The Circana Take:
- Anime has gone mainstream, and Sony continues to capitalize on this growing content segment by ensuring broad access across popular platforms such as Prime Channels.
- Competitors like Hulu, Netflix, and Hidive have a large content gap to overcome, but seeing the anime industry go from uber-niche to mainstream in a few short years means there will be plenty of room for everyone.
Spectrum introduces Xumo set-top box for new TV customers.
Xumo, the joint venture between America’s top two cable companies (Comcast and Charter) has become the hardware of choice for new Charter customers under the Spectrum cable brand. The Xumo Stream Box is a hybrid unit that acts both as a cable box and a streaming device. While the Xumo hardware will require Spectrum internet to function, the boxes are about half the current price of Spectrum hardware. The previous hardware was $10.99 a month, while the Xumo boxes will be $5 a month, or a $60 one-time charge, although new customers will get a free box for one year with their new subscription. Comcast has yet to introduce the Xumo boxes but will be launching them soon as a free value-add, meant to grow their internet footprint.
The Circana Take:
- As cord-cutting continues, hybrid options like the Xumo Stream Box serve to bridge the gap, retaining cable customers by offering streaming options within the same cable experience.