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      AirFi Now Offering Premium Hollywood Content

      April 24, 2017  | Written by Caroline Ku
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      AirFi’s new premium content packages will give airlines access to Hollywood movies, hit TV shows, viral videos, digital newspapers and magazines, Image: Wikipedia

      APEX Insight: AirFi has teamed up with LA content service provider West Entertainment to create premium in-flight entertainment packages, providing airlines with a portable IFE streaming option that includes Hollywood movies.

      AirFi, known for its portable in-flight entertainment (IFE)-in-a-box, is launching premium content packages that will give airlines access to Hollywood movies along with hit TV shows, viral videos, digital newspapers and magazines to serve international and regional markets.

      The Netherlands-based company worked with LA boutique content service provider West Entertainment to gain security approval for Hollywood titles. Airlines will be able to customize their content packages based on passenger demographic, budget, content renewal cycles, viewing data and more.

      “We can now offer a full suite of international entertainment options, sourcing premium content from leading movie studios, TV distributors, online news and entertainment platforms and digital publishing houses,”says Job Heimerikx, AirFi’s CEO. “It is also our mission to translate this into simplified and highly competitive pricing.”

      Image Courtesy of AirFi.
      AirFi worked with West Entertainment to gain security approval for Hollywood titles. Image Courtesy of AirFi.

      In addition to gaining access to Hollywood movies, passengers won’t need to download an app to begin watching. “We examined ways to supply without the need for DRM [digital rights management] protection where possible, thus avoiding the hassle of airlines having to introduce native apps for passengers to view the content on board.” says Kate Groth, vice-president of Everything, West Entertainment.

      A TechCrunch study shows apps have a short-lived time on users’ phones: Eighty to 90 percent of apps downloaded are used once and then deleted. And Android Authority reports that users in the United States are experiencing app fatigue: Downloads have dropped by 20 percent as the market becomes saturated with app giants such as WhatsApp, Messenger, Facebook, Snapchat, Instagram, YouTube and others.

      “Apps create another layer of cost and inflexibility,” Heimerikx says. “While some of the best content remains only available with DRM, we have integrated technology that provides this DRM protection, but essentially without the required code needing to be embedded in a native app.”

      Heimerikx says half of AirFi’s airline clients immediately showed interest in the new service, which is expected to go live in May. “Having now grown to 30 airline clients, we’re even more dedicated to keeping the AirFi passenger experience the best in the industry.”