Publications
Partners
We all know about Netflix SA and Showmax, but what other streaming options are there, and are they any good?
Viu
Available from the iStore or Google Play
3 stars out of 5
The other night, I was secretly watching my favourite soapie Uzalo in the deepest corner of my room with my headphones on. I clicked the YouTube app and a notice flashed on my screen about Uzalo moving to a streaming service called Viu.
I looked for Viu in the app store and, much to my surprise, saw that it was free, so I downloaded it. The app is quite nifty, and locks the image in landscape mode so the screen doesn’t minimise if you tilt your phone.
I was looking forward to hitting a “skip intro” button, but that’s not an option. However, you can skip forward in 10-second jumps, which is basically the same thing.
The viewing selection is not bad and offers curated SABC and e.tv content, which is great for soapie catch-ups.
Shows include Skeem Saam, Scandal!, Imbewu: The Seed, The Docket, a selection of Bollywood titles and even a few African movies.
However, there is a bit of a catch – a few of the shows have a premium banner, which means you have to subscribe to view them. For R70, the site links the purchase to an iTunes premium package, which is still cheaper than Netflix or Showmax.
TV2GO
Available from the iStore or Google Play
1 star out of 5
This platform has more than 100 channels organised into bouquets and subcategories, so you can quickly find your way to a show with a certain feel.
Unfortunately, TV2GO has channels that don’t sound very inviting and the content won’t blow you away. The first thing I saw when I clicked on a stream was an advert, and there isn’t much in the way of African content here. However, the channel does screen sports, which many other streaming services don’t. If you’re into B-list wrestling, you’ll be sorted.
The app is also quite sticky and it freezes randomly. To be honest, I’m not sure what TV2GO is trying to do as far as this viewing offering goes.
According to TimesLive, TV2GO tested the waters with a soft launch and garnered 30 000 viewers in November. It will be interesting to see if that figure grows.
Black
R79 from the iStore or Google Play
4 star out of 5
This local service seems to have hit the nail on the head – all you need to do is get the app or visit the website.
The films and shows on offer rival the front-running streaming apps in South Africa at just a fraction of the price. You can watch that Bradley Cooper and Lady Gaga mess on here, the Oscar-winning BlacKkKlansman, as well as the entire Marvel Universe offering. The channel also offers sports, Fox channels and National Geographic, and it has covered all the bases by making sure there are a few channels dedicated to African programming.
Because black is run by Cell C, there are some extra perks for Cell C customers, such as unlimited data for watching, but you do not need to be a Cell C customer to enjoy the service.
