Alibaba is looking to become the next Netflix, albeit the Chinese version, as it has pushed out its online video streaming service dubbed Tmall Box Office (TBO).
On Wednesday, Sept. 2, Alibaba rolled out TBO, a subscription-based video streaming service, which will set subscribers back by RMB 39 or $6.10 per month. Those who opt for the year-long plan for unlimited viewing need to shell out RMB 365 or $57, which works out to be cheaper.
In mid-June, Alibaba's Patrick Liu, president of digital business, first divulged the company's plans for TBO. Liu spilled the beans at the Shanghai International Film Festival and let on that Alibaba was persevering to "become like HBO and Netflix in the U.S." Liu also asserted that the company's mission was to "redefine home entertainment."
The roll out of TBO was first spotted by publication TechInAsia, which also posted an image of the service's home page on Alibaba's Smart TV OS.
Currently, the subscription is in its beta phase and, therefore, no official announcement from Alibaba was forthcoming. However, a company spokesperson confirmed the news.
"The Tmall Box Office is in a beta launch phase and it has been rolled out on certain models of the Tmall Box. Alibaba Group is committed to providing high-quality and engaging content to users on a variety of devices to meet their entertainment needs," noted the Alibaba spokesperson.
The TBO service, however, is only available to a few users of Alibaba's Smart TV OS as of now.
TBO will give subscribers access to both TV shows and movies from Lionsgate, including popular shows such as Twilight and Mad Men. The service will offer both in-house and third-party created content along with both local and foreign movies.
Subscribers can make their TBO payment easily by deploying the Alipay wallet from Alibaba. Tone simply needs to scan the QR code which can be spotted on the TV screen. If a Smart TV OS user has already made a payment earlier through the device, then they can pay for TBO from their remote control.
It is not known when Alibaba will roll out the TBO service officially. It remains to be seen if TBO can replicate the success Netflix enjoys and find favor with consumers.
