Hotstar to support Full HD video streaming for iOS users only; app now also available in the US and Canada

Hotstar, has now joined the Full High Definition bandwagon, since it is giving Full HD viewing to its subscribers; however it is available only for iOS users, on their iPhones and iPads, as of now. This was one of the most anticipated features on Hotstar, considering its competitors Netflix and Amazon Prime Video offer their content in Full HD. [caption id=“attachment_3986749” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] Image: Hotstar[/caption] Those who are using the Hotstar Android app in their smartphones or the web may have to wait longer for this the Full HD feature. The maximum resolution for these users still stands at 720p HD. In another update, Hotstar which was so far only available in India, will now be spreading its wings to the North American market as well. Users in the US and Canada, will now be able to access Hotstar. The resolution parameters remain same for the North American markets as well. Hotstar is the only Indian streaming service which aired the HBO favourite Game of Thrones hours after it was aired in the US. However, this year, Hotstar met with a lot of controversies as some of the episodes had leaked before hand. One leaked episode even had the Hotstar logo, and later it was found that an employee in Hotstar’s India distribution centre was responsible for the leak. Star India’s Hotstar produces original content, however as of now it is mostly into streaming content from Star India, films, and sports matches. Meanwhile, Apple is soon to join the online video streaming market and original programming area. An area which Apple had not prodded much would now mark an entry for them. As per a latest report, Apple has invested an estimated $1 billion in this venture. Apple’s only tryst with original content has been its first two original series, Planet of the Apps and Carpool Karaoke, on its Apple Music service, which has 27 million subscribers. But neither show has generated much buzz or critical acclaim. Currently, Netflix is ruling the online video streaming market. However, with the entry of giants like Apple and Disney, Netflix is bound to face some stiff competition. Netflix has more than 100 million worldwide subscribers and a video library that will add 1,000 hours of original programming this year alone.