Tech

3 Apps To Download To Legally Stream All 2018 FIFA World Cup Matches

This article may be late but as they say, better late than never, right? Ever since the first match of the 2018 World Cup, I have relied on my smartphone to watch over 50% of the matches

Published

6 years ago

July 3, 2018

Africa News Watch

By Kaluka Wanjala

This article may be late but as they say, better late than never, right? Ever since the first match of the 2018 World Cup, I have relied on my smartphone to watch over 50% of the matches. And no, I am not talking about illegally streaming the matches using some shady website or using one of those apps that you download and hope it works all the time and does not bombard you with pop ads left, right and centre.

The reason why I have watched most of the 2018 World Cup matches on my phone has to do with the fact that I am not always at home when they start. With most of the afternoon matches, I am always out and about or just not near my TV and not having my phone would mean that I miss most of these matches. If you are like me, you probably are in school or at work by the time the first match kicks off and need ways to watch all the matches you want on the go.

Kwese-Iflix App

This is the app I have been using for the last couple of weeks. I am meant to understand that Kwese and Iflix joined forces recently as previously they were independent companies. I have known about both Kwese and Iflix for sometime but I have never subscribed to any of these services before.

The DStv Now App

If you are a DStv subscriber, you do not have to rush home everyday just to watch the live matches. You can do so on the go through the DStv Now app. I personally did not know DStv offered such an option until two weeks ago. The app is available on both Android and iOS and once you get it, go to LiveTV > Sport and stream the matches on the relevant SuperSport channel.

The StarTimes App

I have never been a fan of StarTimes and I would be the first to admit that I do not know the channels it offers. Even with that said, they got into my radar recently as they were among the first pay TV providers who announced that they would be streaming all 64 world Cup matches this year. We already knew DStv was going to stream all matches but we have already established that the MultiChoice-owned company is very expensive. This is why the announcement by StarTimes got my attention, Yes I know, I like cheap things.

Conclusion

I am a big fan of companies that create products specifically for smartphone users. Not everyone is willing or able to watch live sports on their TV and having an option to do that on your phone is necessary. The ability to stream live sports on your phone legally will definitely introduce new products to consumers and introduce new subscribers to the Pay Tv services. Not everyone is willing to spend thousands of shillings every month on a Pay Tv service yet they only want the live sports action. Still on this, not everyone is willing to spend a ton of cash on data so as to watch their favourite team play. This is why this partnership between these three service providers and Safaricom makes sense, the service providers benefit, Safaricom benefits and most importantly, the users of these services benefit.

I hope this is the start of a new era and we should be seeing additional products from Telcos such as Safaricom and Pay Tv or Video On demand service providers.

The apps listed above are just the ones that got my attention and have local payment options. There are a ton of other international apps that you can get but why should you when you have these?

Fun Fact about this world cup: Every team I have supported have lost, I am beginning to think that I should support the teams I want to see eliminated for the sake of my sanity.

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Tech

Tanzania to host 6th Ocean Innovation Africa summit in February

Published

22 hours ago

November 20, 2024

Isaac Dachen

Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, has been selected to host the sixth edition of the Ocean Innovation Africa (OIA) summit from February 24-28, 2025, as a flagship event within Regenerative Ocean Week.

The Ocean Innovation Africa is set to be Africa’s most significant platform for Ocean Innovation conservation, and sustainable development in the blue economy. OIA2025 will be co-organised with leading partners, including IUCN, GIZ, OceanHub Africa, Catalyze and the Ocean-Climate Platform.

With the theme, “Science-to-Solution”, the Regenerative Ocean Week will present a line-up of sessions designed to bridge the gap between scientific research, business innovation, policy, and community engagement.

According to the organizers of the event, it will bring together African ocean innovators, investors, researchers, policymakers, and community leaders to explore practical solutions that can be applied across the continent.

“These include the OIA Pitch Competition, which is a platform for Africa-based startups and entrepreneurs to showcase breakthrough ideas in ocean-impact solutions, allowing them to connect with investors and industry leaders and emphasizing Africa’s role in driving sustainable ocean initiatives,” the organizers said in a statement.

Tech

Orange Egypt earmarks $52.7m to support African startups

Published

2 days ago

November 19, 2024

Isaac Dachen

Orange Egypt has earmarked the sum of $52.7 million to support African startups in what is going to be the largest investment to drive a youth-focused tech revolution.

According to the company, the mammoth investment will see over 40 startups benefitting from the funds, with most of them being Egyptian companies.

‘It’s a boost for Egypt’s growing entrepreneurial ecosystem and a step closer to cementing its spot as a top startup hub in Africa,” the company said in a statement.

The investment is coming on the heels of the telco signing a deal with the Egyptian government to roll out the second phase of its 5G licensing.

The statement noted that with Egypt’s startup game already strong and ranking as the third most funded country in the MENA region, “the numbers speak for themselves.”

“In 2022, Egyptian startups closed 143 funding deals worth nearly $766.7 million, outpacing the $606.79 million raised the year before.

“Plus over 2,100 startups employing more than 50,000 people, the country’s ecosystem is one of the top 10 emerging startup hubs globally.

“The Egyptian government is all in on this. And since launching initiatives like Egypt Ventures in 2017, they’ve been backing startups to drive innovation and growth in the tech space.

“Orange Egypt’s latest move only adds fuel to this already blazing fire, paving the way for more opportunities and a stronger startup culture across Africa,” it added.