Sony will launch a completely free streaming service called Sony One in April. On the program, 54 FAST TV channels accessible on connected televisions with high quality content, all available in France!
Netflix, Disney, Amazon and Universal can start to make fun of each other. And for good reason: a newcomer is arriving in the world of streaming. And not really a stranger since it is Sony, more precisely Sony Pictures Entertainment, the American subsidiary of the Japanese giant, which has an immense catalog of films and series, particularly since the acquisition of the legendary Columbia Studios. Pictures in 1989. Needless to say, this is not an unknown actor arriving with empty pockets…
Especially since Sony is coming up with an economic model that will hit the crux of the matter: money. Because its streaming platform, simply called Sony One, is completely free. Yes, you read correctly: there will be no subscription to pay to enjoy its streaming catalog. Indeed, unlike the main current services like Netflix, Disney++ or Amazon Prime Video, Sony One will not operate in SVOD mode (subscription video on demand, in good French) but in FAST TV mode, i.e. television in Free ad-supported streaming.
As we explained in our article, this still relatively uncommon method of distribution has been gaining more and more ground over the past two years. And it has every chance of growing as traditional streaming platforms continue to increase their prices, as they have done several times in recent months. And if Sony’s strategy may seem daring at a time when major production studios have opted for paid SVOD streaming, it could quickly emerge as a winning bet, especially in a period of generalized inflation.
And there is no question of offering second-rate content, as is the case with Rakuten TV and Pluto TV, two pioneers of FAST TV: Sony One will benefit from the rich catalog of Sony Pictures, with first-rate films and series like the cult sagas breaking Bad, Better Call Saul And Justifiedor great cinema hits such as Men in Black, Zombieland And District 9 to name just a handful of examples. Enough to immediately ensure popular success.
In practice, Sony One will be accessible on LG and Samsung connected televisions, through dedicated applications. The service will be offered in the form of a bouquet, with no less than 54 thematic channels (Action Hits for action films, Comedy TV for comedy series, Thriller TV for detective series, Faves for classics or even Shark Tank and Dragons ‘ Den for reality TV shows).
And the last good news is that Sony One will be available in Europe, and therefore in France, from this month of April 2024! “Our entry into the FAST space in Europe reflects our dedication to making premium content accessible across important new distribution channels. We recognize the potential of the ad-supported free-to-air TV sector to engage new viewers around the world with our extensive catalog of films and TV series”, explains Pete Wood, vice president of Sony in an official press release. There is no doubt that this new service will not go unnoticed and that it will make the competition cringe with increasingly expensive subscriptions…