Quibi for iPhone and iPad gets Chromecast support, free trial now 2 weeks

What is Quibi

Quibi is one of the newest available streaming services with original content, that was launched in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic. Its launch was seemingly at the right time, as people were stuck at home and turning to online entertainment, which led to a substantial increase of subscriptions to streaming services like Netflix and Disney Plus.

Disappointing launch

Quibi, initially meant to be a mobile phone-only platform, was however said to be performing poorly in terms of downloads, especially considering the $1.8 billion that were raised for its creation and launch.

The app's founder, Jeffrey Katzenberg also noted that even with the generous free 90-day trial the company offered until recently, Quibi was managing to keep less active users than expected, who in May were said to be about 1.3 million. Mr. Katzenberg told the media that the global coronavirus pandemic is to blame for the app's lackluster performance, and showed regret in launching it on March 1st.

Change in direction

Following Quibi's disappointing performance, last month Mr. Katzenberg said that Quibi will be dropping its original plans for being a mobile-only app, and will add casting support from a smartphone or tablet to TV soon.

And now, after getting AirPlay support on May 27th, Quibi has gotten an update adding Chromecast support also. The update, which was made available on June 9th for iOS users, still hasn't made it to the Android platform, but is expected on it soon.

Quibi is available on Apple's App Store here and Google Play here, with its 90-day free trial offer now changed to 2 weeks.