Everything You Need to Know About New Streaming Service Quibi
Preview
We’re only in the middle of the streaming revolution, and you’re probably spending more hours in front of the TV than ever. Now joining Netflix, Hulu, Apple TV+, Disney+, and all the rest is Quibi, which thankfully won’t take up too much of your time.
Quibi — as in “quick bites” — will offer programming up to 10 minutes long made exclusively to be viewed on your phone. Television…on your phone? Relax, here’s how to dial in.
When does it launch? April 6, 2020
How much does it cost? $4.99 per month with ads; $7.99 per month without. Sign up for the service on quibi.com before April 6 and get a 90-day free trial, which begins at launch. Each subscription works on only one phone at a time.
How do I watch? Go to the app store on your smartphone and search for Quibi — it’s available for Apple and Android devices. Download the Quibi app, open it, sign in, and start viewing. The content is designed to enjoy on the go, perfect for when you have a few minutes to kill.
What can I watch? Quibi is launching with 50 original shows and has more than 100 additional titles in the pipeline. Each series falls into one of three categories. Movies in Chapters are the Quibi equivalent of traditional limited series, such as HBO’s True Detective. The first round includes the nail-biter Survive, starring Game of Thrones‘ Sophie Turner as a woman who must find her way back to civilization after her flight crashes in the wilderness. And in Most Dangerous Game, Liam Hemsworth (The Hunger Games) plays a terminally ill former athlete who agrees to allow wealthy thrill-seekers to hunt him for sport.
“Each chapter has to have a beginning, middle, and end,” says Game executive producer Nick Santora. “You need to give something really interesting in each bite.” Other big names cast in Quibi series include Will Forte, Eva Longoria, and Queen Latifah.
In the Unscripted and Docs category, look for the inspiring Jennifer Lopez–produced Thanks a Million, in which 10 celebrities donate $100,000 to everyday people in need, plus reality star Chrissy Teigen’s take on the classic small-claims-case format, Chrissy’s Court. Reese Witherspoon, Kate Hudson, and Nicole Richie each have unscripted series too.
Finally, Daily Essentials offer news and gossip in five- to six-minute videos from outlets like CBS, ESPN, and TMZ.
While Quibi won’t have a library of acquired TV shows and movies like other streamers, more than 30 new episodes will debut each day. Ten minutes may soon add up.
(Quibi)
Hold the Phone
As with most apps, Quibi recognizes when you’re holding your phone upright (in portrait mode) or horizontally (landscape), thanks to cool new tech called Turnstyle. But instead of shrinking the image to fit entirely on the screen for one of those views, which results in annoying black bars framing the action, Quibi programming is filmed so the scene always fills the window.
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