The over-the-top streaming market was just injected with some Spanish pizazz. Spanish-language digital rights holder Latin Everywhere has just released the beta version of the first worldwide streaming video service dedicated solely to Spanish-languange content.
The Pongalo beta platform is currently a free, ad-supported streaming service accessible on the web and through mobile apps for Android and iOS. Latin Everywhere plans to implement a paid premium tier and integration with Smart TVs in the future. A representaive of Latin Everywhere speaking with DigitalTrends stated the pricing for the premium tier has yet to be determined. Pongalo debuts with a robust library of over 10,000 telenovelas, including Juana la Virgen, the basis for the Golden Globe winning CW series Jane The Virgin. The service was built on a rebuilt version of Imnoo, a web-based independent entertainment streaming service purchased by Latin Everywhere.
This beta release looks to expand on a Pongalo brand that has developed a sizable online presence. Before becoming an over-the-top subcription service, Pongalo existed as a mutlichannel network on YouTube of telenovela episodes and clips since June 2006, accumulating over 5.4 million subscrbers and over 682 million views for 19,626 videos. It’s also tapping into a Hispanic population expected to have a purchasing power of $1.5 trillion this year, according to a 2014 Nielsen report on Hispanic consumers. A recent study from professional service network PWC revealed 43 percent of U.S. Hispanics consumed mobile video compared to 25 percent for non-Hispanics.
The race to become the default streaming service for an increasingly tech-savvy Hispanic market was already underway before Pongalo sent its first stream. Last December, DirecTV released, Yaveo, its own over-the-top streaming service of exclusively Spanish-language content. The service is $7.99/month with no contract or DirectTV subscription service needed, but unlike Pongalo, it is not available outside of the U.S.
With Pongalo being available to anyone with an internet-enabled device across the world, Latin Everywhere could become more than simply a company name.
Some of the best shots in Grok Imagine’s AI-made Odyssey don’t contain actors. Ancient landscapes stretch into the distance. Close-ups of grimy hands suggest people who have touched something rougher than a keyboard. For a few seconds, the illusion holds.
https://twitter.com/imagine/status/2113712964419063911
YouTube videos could soon look better without eating quite so much data, right? Thankfully, the platform plans to introduce a new video format called AV2 on its web player in early 2027, promising more efficient streaming and potentially fewer playback hiccups on slower internet connections. The big headline is a roughly 30% improvement in compression efficiency over AV1, YouTube's existing video format. That doesn't guarantee every video will use 30% less data, but it could make streaming a little easier on both internet connections and data allowances.
What is AV2, and why should viewers care?
YouTube is changing how its Home page works, giving viewers more control over what shows up there and making some of the app’s most-used sections easier to reach. Custom Feeds are now replacing the existing topic chips for eligible users, while YouTube is also testing a redesigned top bar on mobile that moves Subscriptions closer to the Home feed.
YouTube first started experimenting with Custom Feeds earlier this year, letting you type out what you wanted to watch and turning that request into its own stream of recommendations. Now, the feature is starting to look less like a side experiment and more like something YouTube actually wants people to use as part of their everyday Home page.