Why Quibi is dying on arrival
Prefer to watch a video of this critique? I created a YouTube video! Link at the end of the story.
A billion dollar investment. Backing by media giants and the involvement of the who’s who of Hollywood. Top rated app at launch.
Cut to less than 3 months later. And users aren’t biting what Quibi is selling. Looking at the app’s App Store and Play Store reviews starts to paint a grim picture.
Value Prop and The Lack of Bite
Why would I pay $4.99 or $7.99 a month?
For any streaming app, original content is what ultimately creates the differentiation and USP, but the existing library of shows and movies is what keeps the users watching. Having a conventional library of shows does not fit the Quibi model. And producing expensive shows takes time. The problem of content is looming large on Quibi.
Where TikTok’s runtime limitation succeeds in creating the sheer volume of free original content and tapping into the creativity of the crowds, Quibi falls apart because of its cost and unclear value.
At present Quibi is one big unknown quantity. Top celebrity names like Jennifer Lopez and Sophie Turner have not worked out as well as hoped. Changing the lineup of shows may help, but it may come too little, too late. And what happens if a crowd-favorite show is canceled? This will risk alienating an already fragile audience which may have just started to warm up.
It IS About How Long It Is
The long history of entertainment media as well as their platforms has engendered expectations from consumers. Here are typical entertainment media we consume, along with their main platforms and driving factors.
- Songs: <5 minutes (Vinyl Singles)
- TV Shows and Digital Series: 30 to 60 minutes an episode, 13–26 episodes (TV stations)
- Movies: 90 to 180 minutes (Theaters)
For each of these media, any duration longer or shorter will usually start to work against them if they are anything but stellar.
Perhaps only Netflix has created a niche for itself, popularizing and capitalizing on the audience’s curiosity to binge watch all episodes in a season. And this is something that boosts Netflix’s business. Note that this model only works because Netflix is not bound by the traditional constraints of TV airtime slots.
Now let’s consider the question: does a Quibi episode resemble something that already exists?
A look at YouTube’s average video length by genre reveals that an entertainment based video clocks in at 12.9 minutes. When there is plenty of free and apparently similar content available, why would anyone pay $4.99?
Divide and Annoy
The format of Quibi’s shows works against them. For one, artificially splitting up one feature length episode into several minutes-long chunks annoys the viewers. If the viewer wants to pause and come back at a later time, they will do so. Most video streaming apps Quibi included remember where the viewer left off.
When Quibi breaks down one proper episode into parts just to fit a gimmick, the gimmick becomes all the more obvious.
Put simply, Quibi is creating a problem instead of catering to a niche.
Why’s This Famous?
Most every app has an internal rating or review system. This system no doubt has a large effect on the perception and engagement by users.
But when you look at a Quibi show, there is no rating, no user feedback — absolutely nothing that gives a sense of community and belonging.
- Why is a ‘trending’ show trending?
- Is there any personalized and curated content?
- How can someone pick a show to watch, other than by reading the description?
The absence of transparency and clarity causes frustration and lends more to the user reaching for the close button instead of the next episode.
Bad Usability: Maximally Vitriolic Position
Most startups take the approach of launching a Minimum Viable Product (MVP). This balances time and resources for a quick launch, and helps plan building for success or failure.
As far as video streaming apps go, being able to cast video to a TV through Airplay, Chromecast or Roku are squarely high priority. It is baffling that a polished and highly funded app like Quibi launched without any of these.
As of the writing of this story, support for Airplay has only just made it to the app; Chromecast is slated to be coming soon but maybe dead on arrival (DOA).
Popularity Sells, Obscurity Doesn’t
To say that the app marketplace is crowded to oversaturation is about as insightful as saying water is wet.
So when a new app arrives in this environment and needs to grab the attention of a fickle public, it needs to do so with a splash.
While Quibi did top app charts at launch, it has been sinking down the rankings ever since.
When other entertainment apps are comparatively rock solid, an all round lack of buzz and falling outside of the top 100 apps only adds to the downward trajectory.
At a time when people are at home and consuming video content at unprecedented levels, Quibi’s slide does not make for encouraging reading. And while the pandemic may not have created or added to any of Quibi’s existing problems, it may prove to be the nail in the coffin.
It’s Not All Bad…
There are some redeeming features about the app’s design and experience that stand out amidst the other failings.
The simplicity of using the app is to be commended. As long as you use it on your phone, it manages to be a smooth experience, and avoids much clutter.
The visual design refreshingly embraces playfulness over the dull corporate identity of its competing apps.
More apps should offer left handed mode and haptic feedback.
Constraints often give rise to ingenious and creative inventions. And the 10 minute limit can certainly make for compelling storytelling, foregoing conventional story and character development for a novel approach.
Shape of Pasta, I Promise, Gayme Show and other shows have garnered critical acclaim while also managing to use the format to serve up a good dose of entertainment. While the jury may be still out on whether they are actually any good, the main question to ask is ‘will they survive to see a second and even a third season?’ Shows evolve over time and find their tone, but is this even possible on a sinking platform?
As they say, when you have to cover for Quibi by saying, ‘it’s not that bad’, it is quite transparent that it is in fact pretty bad.
Quick Closing Thoughts
Should you try Quibi? I think it is worth the 14-day free trial. You will probably cancel before then.
