A streaming service for Indian audiences
SonyLIV is a free mobile application for streaming videos by Sony Pictures Networks India. It is a freemium streaming service developed specifically for the Indian market. It offers sporting events, movies, and TV shows sourced directly from Sony Entertainment Network channels in the country.
Similar to Hotstar and Spuul, SonyLIV's catalog of content has been curated with Indian TV audiences in mind. With the number of broadcasting properties that that company has in the country, it's able to offer a wide variety of different genres to suit people's tastes and preferences.
Is SonyLIV worth considering?
SonyLIV, launched in 2013, was the first over-the-top streaming service for the Indian market. It carries with it a variety of media content that came directly from local networks, including films, TV shows, and various sporting events. It even offered a few original programs of its own. In the years since its inception, though, the service has shifted toward distributions and licensing deals to expand its catalog of videos.
SonyLIV's mobile application has been revamped a few times through the years to provide users with the best viewing experience. Through it, you’ll have access to the platform's entire catalog of content. The service is based on a freemium business model, wherein it can offer media for free, but with ads included with them as you watch. You can opt-out of this by subscribing to one of its plans.
As far as using it is concerned, it's a smooth and intuitive one. Everything is well laid out and is optimized for both smartphones and tablets. When it comes to streaming videos, though, the whole experience leaves some to be desired, with server connectivity issues and blank screens happening from time to time.
A decent freemium streaming service
All in all, there's a lot to like about SonyLIV and what it offers users. There is plenty of content to choose from, ranging from sports to movies & TV shows, and even a few original programming thrown in. The app itself is well-designed and is easy to use overall. There are a couple of hiccups occasionally, but overall, it's a decent option worth considering.
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