Australian video-on-demand service Quickflix has announced it will become a reseller of Seven West Media and Foxtel’s streaming service Presto.
Australia’s first streaming and DVD sharing business, Quickflix has announced a deal with Foxtel’s Presto service that means Quickflix will now provide Presto content. Quickflix will be able to market and sell the Presto TV, Presto Movies and Presto Entertainment bundle across its existing platforms. Quickflix will still provide pay-per-view movie and TV offerings, as well as its traditional DVD subscription service.
In a statement to ASX, Quickflix CEO Stephan Langsford said: “We are very pleased to enter an agreement with Presto, backed by Australia’s largest entertainment company, and the number one free-to-air broadcaster.
“Streaming is taking off and this agreement will significantly bolster our content offering for existing and future Quickflix customers whilst improving our overall operating economics. ”
Shaun James, director of Presto and Video on Demand, said: “Quickflix’s decision to resell Presto follows its strategic review of key players across Australia’s streaming entertainment landscape. It reinforces Presto’s unbelievable range of premium content backed by our leading marketing and curation expertise. We’re confident Quickflix customers will be delighted once they can experience the Presto service.”
Yesterday Quickflix halted on the Australian Stock Exchange, leading to speculation the company would be the first to bow out of the subscription video on demand (SVOD) race.
According to Quickflix’s annual report, as of March 2015, it had 123, 553 paying customers. In March, the SVOD company posted an AUD$8.6 million loss in the last half of 2014.
However, this isn’t a liquidation clearance sale of Quickflix. Foxtel will be benefiting from Quickflix’s device compatibility. Currently Presto can only be watched on PC, Mac, Chromecast, iOS and selected Android devices. The Quickflix platform however is available on a bigger variety of applications including Xbox One, Playstation 4, Sony, LG, Panasonic and Samsung smart TVs. The deal means Presto will also be available, through Quickflix, on these platforms.
The deal is still subject to a series of ‘commercial requirements’ and is expected to be finalised in the coming months.
