MultiChoice unveiled its DStv-branded streaming box, named ‘Streama’ alongside the Explora Ultra during the DStv showcase last year. While the Explora Ultra hit shelves soon after, we’re still waiting to see the Streama. And we might be waiting a while longer. The broadcaster has now announced that it is delaying the launch of its new hardware.
A Streama bad luck for MultiChoice
MultiChoice says we have the ongoing global chip shortage to blame for the delay. At this point, it’s worth asking what piece of industry that nasty business hasn’t hit yet.
“The unforeseen global chipset supply constraint that resulted from high industry demand and low manufacturing supply has meant that MultiChoice has had to adjust our Streama launch plan,” a spokesperson told MyBroadband.
If you’re a loyal fan of the broadcaster, this might be a little disappointing for you. The DStv streaming box is equipped with HDR10 and Dolby Vision support, and it can run your favourite shows in 4K at 60Hz if you’ve got the bandwidth for it. Those aren’t mind-blowing specs, but they’re definitely attractive.
Unfortunately, MultiChoice is coming pretty late to the game here. There’s a pretty vast array of TV streamers out there already under a variety of solid brands, from Apple to Amazon to Xiaomi. Many of these trounce the company’s own hardware too, so it’s not as if the Streama would be entering a fresh market. This delay only sets it back further against the competition.
That said, MultiChoice isn’t backing down from that particular fight just yet, saying that the Streama will launch. We just don’t know when, yet.