Wedotv enters Indian market via Samsung TV Plus FAST distribution deal

This partnership targets India’s high-growth connected TV market, where hardware-integrated FAST services are increasingly challenging traditional pay-TV dominance. For Samsung, the addition of wedotv’s curated thematic channels strengthens its bid to retain loyalty in a region where smart TV shipments are growing among 55-inch and larger premium segments. The move reflects a broader industry shift toward hybrid monetization as platforms leverage native device placement to capture ad revenue from cost-conscious viewers. Watch for whether wedotv secures similar placement on rival Indian TV OS platforms like JioTele or Xiaomi’s PatchWall to scale localized reach.

The Indian smart TV market is undergoing a rapid transition toward premiumization and advertising-supported streaming. Per Counterpoint Research in May 2025, while overall shipments saw a temporary 10% decline in 2024, the premium segment—defined as 55-inch screens and above—grew by 12% year-over-year. Samsung remains the market leader in this space, commanding a 23.8% share of India's TV market in the first half of 2025, according to Omdia data. The company has held the top position in the region since 2017, buoyed by its Neo QLED and OLED lineups.

Engagement on free ad-supported platforms is significantly outperforming subscription models in the region. Per Samsung Ads India reporting from mid-2023, AVOD viewing time on Samsung Smart TVs accounted for 89% of all streaming time in the country. This trend is supported by wider internet penetration, which reached approximately 70% of the Indian population by October 2025, according to Market Research Future. The surge in connectivity has enabled global FAST services to penetrate urban and tier-II cities where affordable broadband and mobile data plans are driving high-definition content consumption.

Beyond hardware, the broader digital media ecosystem in India is projected to reach $100 billion by 2030, per TechSci Research in May 2026. Industry projections suggest digital media revenue will surpass linear television revenue by the end of 2026. Samsung TV Plus achieved a global milestone of 100 million monthly active users in January 2026, up from 88 million in late 2024. This growth, coupled with a reported 25% year-over-year increase in streaming hours for 2025, underscores the scaling power of pre-installed FAST services compared to standalone third-party applications.