French startup Molotov has been working on redefining the way we watch video content for a few years now. But after a long period in stealth, it’s time to open the service once and for all.
I’m not going to write another product review. I’ve been using Molotov for months already on my Apple TV, iPad and laptop. It’s by far the best Apple TV app I’ve ever used. Even using it for a few minutes is enough to realize that it can change the way you watch TV.
If you want to learn more about Molotov, head over to my feature article. I still think Molotov is defining the future of TV, at least in France.
The service lets you watch live TV on dozens of channels, bookmark movies, TV shows and documentaries to keep them in the cloud forever, and catch up on content that has already aired. But the best part is that Molotov provides a brand new way to browse, search and surface interesting content on TV.
The service is going to be free for 35 basic channels and 10 hours of bookmarks — all the major French networks are part of this free offering. For €9.99 per month, you get another 37 channels as well as 100 hours of bookmarks and the ability to stream on four different screens at the same time.
If you just want 100 hours of bookmarks and don’t care about the small premium channels, you can pay €3.99 per month for the extra storage capacity and four screens.
The most famous premium channels should be coming after the summer and you’ll be able to subscribe separately. In a few months, you could imagine being able to subscribe to OCS, Ciné+ or beIN Sports directly within the service.
In the coming months, Molotov should support more devices as well, such as the iPhone, Android devices, recent connected TVs from Samsung and LG, and more.
The startup’s pricing strategy is very aggressive as the free offering is already quite powerful if you’re a casual TV watcher. And if you want more, it costs as much as a Netflix subscription.