Mobile streamer Quibi was envisioned as a millennial platform accessed via smartphone. But given the pandemic, more people preferred to watch its shows on TV screens.
Quibi heard the complaints — and has now added support for Google Chromecast for its iOS app, while Engadget reported that Chromecast support is also available for Quibi’s app for Android devices.
This latest tweak follows the addition of AirPlay support, which allowed Quibi users to stream shows on other screens besides mobile.
Still, Quibi has faced several hurdles since its launch.
None of its shows has proven to be breakout hits. Free subscriptions ensured 1.7 million downloads in its first week, but that number has dipped, according to cofounder Jeffrey Katzenberg, who told The New York Times: “I attribute everything that has gone wrong to coronavirus.”
Also, users couldn’t record Quibi shows in the app and later share on social media. Its apps are not on Amazon Fire devices or Roku.
Quibi, which went live April 6, was the 20th most-popular free app in the App Store and sixth on Google Play, per analytics Sensor Tower three days later. But the pandemic seriously stalled its momentum. By mid-May it was ranked No. 125, behind the game app Knock’em All and the language-learning app Duolingo, according to Sensor Tower.
Quibi is $5/month with ads and $8/month without ads.
The Verge first reported the news.