Having seen great success with its Kayo Sports streaming service, Foxtel is taking another big swipe at the Australian streaming video market with Binge, a new platform that will offer a huge library of supposedly binge-worthy shows and movies.
With over 10,000 hours of "unturnoffable" on demand content, Binge aims to carry an enormous back catalogue of ad-free shows and movies from the likes of WarnerMedia (that includes HBO and its upcoming HBO Max Originals), NBC Universal, FX, BBC and Sony.
Content
In a recent presentation to Australian media, Foxtel representatives went to great lengths to stress the overwhelming number of quality shows Binge offers its subscribers, including cult series like Game of Thrones, Chernobyl, The Sopranos, The Walking Dead, Seinfeld, Modern Family and The Wire, through to newer shows like Succession, Westworld, Big Little Lies, The Plot Against America, The Outsider, Breeders and Mrs. America.
Along with scripted shows and movies, Binge also offers a wide selection of documentary and reality-based content, from David Attenborough’s Frozen Planet, to Keeping Up with the Kardashians.
While there are a number of currently airing shows confirmed for the platform, Binge's representatives weren't able to confirm whether new episodes will arrive on the service as they air on a weekly basis (like they do on Foxtel Now), or if subscribers will have to wait for completed seasons to binge through.
Additionally, Binge offers over 800 movies at launch, incorporating a number of binge-able film collections such as the Fast & Furious, Jurassic Park, Mission Impossible and DC Universe movie sagas in their entirety.
Outside of big franchises, the new Foxtel service carries filmmaker-specific collections from a number of famous directors such as Quentin Tarantino, Martin Scorsese, Steven Spielberg and Christopher Nolan.
During the Binge announcement, it was also revealed that users will have access to certain live Foxtel channels within the service, however, the service's focus will be on boxset-style binge-watching.
Streaming quality and pricing
After an initial 14-day free trial, Binge users will be given the option of subscribing to one of three tiers. Binge's entry-level plan offers a single SD stream for AU$10 a month.
This is followed by a second plan which provides two simultaneous HD streams at AU$14, and a third and final tier which allows users to stream on four devices simultaneously in HD.
Unfortunately, a Binge representative confirmed that there are no plans for a 4K streaming tier at this stage. According to a Binge spokesperson, the platform's video compression will allow for HD streams at a reasonable economical 3-4 Mbps.
Device compatibility
In terms of compatible devices, users are able to stream via an official Binge app for televisions on the Android TV platform, laptops, iOS and Android devices, along with the ability to watch via web browser, Chromecast and Telstra TV.
At launch, there will not be a Binge app ready for game consoles, however, a Binge spokesperson confirmed the possibility of an app for PlayStation 4 in the future.
Simply head over to the official Binge website to sign up for your free 14-day trial and start streaming immediately.
