Rakuten

Wuaki.tv acquired by Japan’s e-commerce giant Rakuten

Wuaki.tv: Your online video service

Rakuten’s first entry into Spain’s markets

On June 13, 2012, Rakuten acquired Spanish online streaming video-on-demand (VOD) provider Wuaki.tv.

Wuaki.tv – slogan: Your online video service

Wuaki.tv was founded 2009 in Barcelona by current CEO Jacinto Roca.

Wuaki.tv is funded by Bonsai Capital, Axon Capital, and Marc Ingla, former Vice-President of the football club “Futbol Club Barcelona”.

Wuaki.tv offers on-demand internet rental streaming video / media based on content distribution agreements with major Hollywood studies, local studies, and partnership agreements with TV and other device manufacturers. Download or storage is currently not supported.

  • “rental” is typically for unlimited viewing within a 48 hours rental period
  • “buying” typically allows unlimited viewing for a period of 3 years or longer
  • “Season Pass” available for some TV series

Wuaki.tv about Wuaki.tv: “We offer the latest Hollywood blockbusters, the most popular TV series, and the best films from independent filmmakers. All this, easily accessible from your computer, Smart TV, tablet, phone and gaming console.” (from the Wuaki.tv website)

Subscribers:

  • Spain: 600,000
  • Andorra:
  • United Kingdom: 400,000 (December 2014), started in July 2013 at an introductory price of UKL 2.99/month (to be raised to UKL 5.99)
  • France: (start on September 15, 2014 with a soft-launch for 10,000 users). Rakuten is planning to leverage PriceMinister’s 20 million members
  • Total: 1.85 million (December 2014)

Wuaki.tv is reported to enter Italy, Germany and 12 more markets in the near future.

Platforms:

  • Android
  • Chromecast
  • iPad
  • PC (with Adobe Flash Player (version 10 or higher) installed)
  • Mac (with Adobe Flash Player (version 10 or higher) installed)
  • PlayStation 3
  • PlayStation 4
  • SmartTV (eg. Samsung, LG, Panasonic etc)
  • Xbox360, XboxONE
  • EETV set top box

Platform usage (December 2014):

  • TV: 40%
  • Smartphones and tablets: 28%
  • PC/Mac web browser: 21%
  • Game consoles: 11%
  • Total: 100%

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