Rakuten TV has rolled out its on-demand platform across dozens of new territories internationally, with a significant new presence across the Nordics, eastern and central Europe.
Not doing anything by halves the video on demand service has entered over thirty new countries, tripling its presence across Europe at a stroke, where it can now be obtained in 40 nations.
The expansion drive has been spearheaded by chief executive officer and founder Jacinto Roca, who has entered into partnerships with smart TV manufacturers Samsung, LG, Philips and Hisense to propel the service into many more living rooms.
In doing so the manufacturers have agreed to include a dedicated button on their remote controls with Rakuten pledging to drive consumer engagement by introducing 8k resolution content in the second half of the year.
Rakuten TV, formerly known as Wuaki.tv, was purchased by the eponymous Japanese e-commerce brand with hopes to elevate the service into a direct competitor to the likes of Netflix and Amazon.
In common with its more established rivals Rakuten is investing heavily in original programming but differs in operating on a transaction rather than a subscription model, with viewers invited to rent or buy content.
Rakuten TV has become a prominent campaigner for shorter theatrical release windows.
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