The Apex Times
Above the Noise
Culture Wire
CultureBTS returned to MetLife Stadium with a full ARIRANG World Tour show after World Cup halftime appearance, Billboard reportsThe Apex TimesCultureHaile Gerima to Bring 10-Hour Documentary ‘Black Lions – Roman Wolves’ to U.S. Audiences at BlackStar Film FestivalThe Apex TimesCulturePhiladelphia Artist Stacey Lee Webber Creates Sculptures and Jewelry Made Entirely of Coin and CurrencyThe Apex TimesCultureArgentine director Lucila Mariani debuts genre-leaning feature ‘The Days Off’ at Locarno, exploring lucid dreaming and “that internet”The Apex TimesCultureWarner Bros. weighs pay demands as “Barbie” sequel remains stuck in negotiations, report saysThe Apex TimesCultureVolunteers at Maryland senior living community restart pen-pal letter writing, using emojis to bridge generationsThe Apex TimesCultureCarmen Electra, 54, says she is unfazed by age after Playboy return and offers guidance to the new Baywatch castThe Apex TimesCultureThe Guardian publishes interactive guide of 25 films, one for each year before age 25The Apex TimesCultureSandra Bullock and Nicole Kidman Attend ‘Practical Magic’ Screening at Cinespia, Ahead of ‘Practical Magic 2’The Apex TimesCultureThe Sopranos Cast Remembers Vincent Pastore as Jamie-Lynn Sigler and Michael Imperioli Lead TributesThe Apex TimesCultureCBS News: Hollywood’s Summer Blockbuster Season Shows Signs of a Theatrical ComebackThe Apex TimesCultureScott Hylands, Actor Known for ‘Night Heat’ and ‘Fargo,’ Dies at 83The Apex TimesCultureBTS returned to MetLife Stadium with a full ARIRANG World Tour show after World Cup halftime appearance, Billboard reportsThe Apex TimesCultureHaile Gerima to Bring 10-Hour Documentary ‘Black Lions – Roman Wolves’ to U.S. Audiences at BlackStar Film FestivalThe Apex TimesCulturePhiladelphia Artist Stacey Lee Webber Creates Sculptures and Jewelry Made Entirely of Coin and CurrencyThe Apex TimesCultureArgentine director Lucila Mariani debuts genre-leaning feature ‘The Days Off’ at Locarno, exploring lucid dreaming and “that internet”The Apex TimesCultureWarner Bros. weighs pay demands as “Barbie” sequel remains stuck in negotiations, report saysThe Apex TimesCultureVolunteers at Maryland senior living community restart pen-pal letter writing, using emojis to bridge generationsThe Apex TimesCultureCarmen Electra, 54, says she is unfazed by age after Playboy return and offers guidance to the new Baywatch castThe Apex TimesCultureThe Guardian publishes interactive guide of 25 films, one for each year before age 25The Apex TimesCultureSandra Bullock and Nicole Kidman Attend ‘Practical Magic’ Screening at Cinespia, Ahead of ‘Practical Magic 2’The Apex TimesCultureThe Sopranos Cast Remembers Vincent Pastore as Jamie-Lynn Sigler and Michael Imperioli Lead TributesThe Apex TimesCultureCBS News: Hollywood’s Summer Blockbuster Season Shows Signs of a Theatrical ComebackThe Apex TimesCultureScott Hylands, Actor Known for ‘Night Heat’ and ‘Fargo,’ Dies at 83The Apex TimesCultureBTS returned to MetLife Stadium with a full ARIRANG World Tour show after World Cup halftime appearance, Billboard reportsThe Apex TimesCultureHaile Gerima to Bring 10-Hour Documentary ‘Black Lions – Roman Wolves’ to U.S. Audiences at BlackStar Film FestivalThe Apex TimesCulturePhiladelphia Artist Stacey Lee Webber Creates Sculptures and Jewelry Made Entirely of Coin and CurrencyThe Apex TimesCultureArgentine director Lucila Mariani debuts genre-leaning feature ‘The Days Off’ at Locarno, exploring lucid dreaming and “that internet”The Apex TimesCultureWarner Bros. weighs pay demands as “Barbie” sequel remains stuck in negotiations, report saysThe Apex TimesCultureVolunteers at Maryland senior living community restart pen-pal letter writing, using emojis to bridge generationsThe Apex TimesCultureCarmen Electra, 54, says she is unfazed by age after Playboy return and offers guidance to the new Baywatch castThe Apex TimesCultureThe Guardian publishes interactive guide of 25 films, one for each year before age 25The Apex TimesCultureSandra Bullock and Nicole Kidman Attend ‘Practical Magic’ Screening at Cinespia, Ahead of ‘Practical Magic 2’The Apex TimesCultureThe Sopranos Cast Remembers Vincent Pastore as Jamie-Lynn Sigler and Michael Imperioli Lead TributesThe Apex TimesCultureCBS News: Hollywood’s Summer Blockbuster Season Shows Signs of a Theatrical ComebackThe Apex TimesCultureScott Hylands, Actor Known for ‘Night Heat’ and ‘Fargo,’ Dies at 83The Apex TimesCultureBTS returned to MetLife Stadium with a full ARIRANG World Tour show after World Cup halftime appearance, Billboard reportsThe Apex TimesCultureHaile Gerima to Bring 10-Hour Documentary ‘Black Lions – Roman Wolves’ to U.S. Audiences at BlackStar Film FestivalThe Apex TimesCulturePhiladelphia Artist Stacey Lee Webber Creates Sculptures and Jewelry Made Entirely of Coin and CurrencyThe Apex TimesCultureArgentine director Lucila Mariani debuts genre-leaning feature ‘The Days Off’ at Locarno, exploring lucid dreaming and “that internet”The Apex TimesCultureWarner Bros. weighs pay demands as “Barbie” sequel remains stuck in negotiations, report saysThe Apex TimesCultureVolunteers at Maryland senior living community restart pen-pal letter writing, using emojis to bridge generationsThe Apex TimesCultureCarmen Electra, 54, says she is unfazed by age after Playboy return and offers guidance to the new Baywatch castThe Apex TimesCultureThe Guardian publishes interactive guide of 25 films, one for each year before age 25The Apex TimesCultureSandra Bullock and Nicole Kidman Attend ‘Practical Magic’ Screening at Cinespia, Ahead of ‘Practical Magic 2’The Apex TimesCultureThe Sopranos Cast Remembers Vincent Pastore as Jamie-Lynn Sigler and Michael Imperioli Lead TributesThe Apex TimesCultureCBS News: Hollywood’s Summer Blockbuster Season Shows Signs of a Theatrical ComebackThe Apex TimesCultureScott Hylands, Actor Known for ‘Night Heat’ and ‘Fargo,’ Dies at 83The Apex Times
Back to front
Viu and iQiyi International plan a bundled streaming subscription across Southeast Asia starting in 2026
The Apex Times

THE APEX TIMES

Culture/The Apex Times/Jun 17, 12:41 AM EDT

Viu and iQiyi International plan a bundled streaming subscription across Southeast Asia starting in 2026

PCCW’s Viu and iQiyi International, the overseas platform for iQiyi, will offer a single subscription covering both services in Indonesia, Thailand, the Philippines and Malaysia in the second half of 2026.

2 min readEditor-approved Apex article

PCCW’s Viu and iQiyi International said they will launch a single bundled subscription for both streaming services in Southeast Asia, beginning in the second half of 2026. The arrangement is intended to let viewers access content from both platforms under one subscription rather than signing up separately for each service, according to Deadline.

Deadline reported that the bundle is planned to roll out across four markets, Indonesia, Thailand, the Philippines and Malaysia. The companies said the release will cover both services’ libraries, with content offered by Viu alongside programming available through iQiyi International.

The partnership will be offered through APOS, an operating model described in the report as an iQiyi International platform operated outside mainland China. iQiyi International is positioned as the international streaming presence of iQiyi, while Viu operates as PCCW’s regional streaming service.

The announcement comes as streaming competition in the region increases and as platforms seek ways to reduce friction for users. Bundling can also affect subscriber costs and renewals by consolidating billing and access into a single package, though the companies did not include pricing details in the report.

For viewers, the central change is account access. Under the planned bundle, subscribers would be expected to use one subscription to reach both sets of content, rather than switching between services on separate plans. The companies did not specify in the report whether there will be region-specific catalog differences between countries in the launch markets.

For the companies, the bundling approach may reshape distribution relationships and marketing strategies in each country, because promotional offers and user acquisition campaigns can be structured around one package rather than separate brand targeting. It also may require operational coordination for customer support, subscription management, and access controls across the two services.

The next step for audiences and industry partners will be details closer to launch on timing within the second half of 2026, eligibility by country, and how the combined subscription will be marketed and managed in each market. Deadline’s report did not describe dates beyond the overall 2026 launch window or provide further specifics on contract terms or catalog scope.

Why It Matters

  • The planned 2026 rollout affects subscribers in four major Southeast Asian markets by changing how they access multiple streaming catalogs and manage subscriptions.
  • Bundling can alter user acquisition and retention strategies by consolidating marketing and account billing into one package.
  • The arrangement increases competitive pressure on other regional streaming services that may rely on standalone pricing and separate brand funnels.
  • For businesses and partners, coordinated access, billing, and support across two services may become a more central operational requirement as streaming bundles expand.

Sources

Key Facts

  • Viu (PCCW) and iQiyi International plan to launch a bundled streaming subscription for Southeast Asia.
  • The bundle is scheduled for the second half of 2026.
  • The rollout markets are Indonesia, Thailand, the Philippines and Malaysia.
  • The goal is to provide access to both services through a single subscription.
  • iQiyi International is described in the report as an international platform operated outside mainland China, through APOS.
  • Deadline was the first outlet to report the planned bundle and launch window.