Free TV- and movie-streaming site Tubi has announced plans to launch its service in Australia, with an initial library of around 7,000 titles set to go live this Sunday, September 1. That range will include hit movies such as The Blair Witch Project, 3:10 to Yuma, Kickboxer and more, and Tubi has promised to expand the library with more titles in the coming months.
Based in the US, Tubi offers free, ad-supported access to around 15,000 titles from major studios including Warner Bros., NBCUniversal, MGM and Lionsgate in its home territory.
The service supports streaming to a wide variety of devices – it has Chromecast support, alongside dedicated apps for Android and iOS phones and tablets, Sony and Samsung smart TVs, and video game consoles such as the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One.
Users are required to sign up for a free account, after which they can watch any of the service’s ad-supported movies and TV shows at no cost.
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Tubi was previously available in parts of Europe, but had to cease its service there in 2018 due to its inability to comply with the region’s newly-introduced GDPR privacy protection laws. Tubi has said that it plans to relaunch in Europe, but hasn’t yet offered any concrete information on when that’s likely to occur.
In Australia, Tubi faces a burgeoning (if not downright crowded) local scene when it comes to video-streaming services. Netflix is the dominant name when it comes to paid, subscription-based options, but there’s also plenty of local competition, with the likes of Stan, Amazon Prime Video, Foxtel Now and the upcoming Disney Plus all vying for the Aussie consumer's attention.
However, with few truly free options when it comes to movie and TV streaming in Australia, Tubi could certainly have appeal Down Under. Currently, Australian consumers are limited to major TV networks’ catch-up services, or the likes of Kanopy – a site which partners with public libraries to offer members access to a variety of major movies. Sony’s Crackle was available for a number of years in Australia, but closed its local operations earlier this year. There’s potentially room, then, for somebody else to come along and fill that void.
Australians will be able to sign up for a free Tubi account at www.tubi.tv from this Sunday.
