Story audio is generated using AI
Samsung TVs will now be shipped with DStv’s streaming already installed, as part of Canal+ and MultiChoice’s push to increase the number of people using the service. In the age of TVs that are connected to the internet offering a range of entertainment options through apps, MultiChoice has had to shift its business beyond its traditional set-top boxes, commonly referred to as decoders. Pre-installing apps on smart televisions offers out-of-the-box convenience for consumers and is a strategy that players such as Netflix have used for years. It enables users to start watching premium content immediately after plugging in the TV, without the clutter of extra cables, additional devices, or the need to download software or apps manually.Samsung is the world’s largest TV manufacturer. Last year it made 250,000 televisions in South Africa alone.On Monday Canal+ and Samsung announced the extension of their partnership to English and Portuguese-speaking African markets served by MultiChoice. From June, the DStv Stream app will be pre-installed on all new Samsung Smart TVs across 18 African countries, including South Africa, Nigeria, Kenya, Angola, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia and Zimbabwe.The French group, which took control of MultiChoice in 2025, said, “This marks the first-ever pre-installation rollout of a MultiChoice Group streaming application, DStv Stream app, on Samsung smart TVs across these markets.”MultiChoice has had similar deals in the past with both DStv and Showmax apps being pre-installed on TVs from manufacturers like Hisense. In some cases the remote controls for those TVs had dedicated shortcut buttons for the DStv and Showmax apps. In essence, it means a consumer buying a new TV will immediately see the DStv Stream app and is therefore more likely to engage with it. For those who do not know what DStv is, it also increases the chances that a consumer will try it out as an inbuilt feature during the initial exploration phase with a new device. This comes as the group refines its streaming strategy, having cut the loss-making Showmax unit as of May 2026, with expectations of a Canal+ super-app that will carry content from across the combined group. David Mignot, CEO of Canal+ Africa and MultiChoice Group, said: “As viewing habits continue to evolve rapidly across the continent, strengthening the accessibility and discoverability of our content offer on connected devices is key. “By expanding the availability of our applications on Samsung Smart TVs across key African markets, we are making it even easier for millions of MultiChoice group’s subscribers to seamlessly access the content that defines the uniqueness of Canal+ and MultiChoice Group experience.”Overall, Canal+ said the Samsung partnership also supports “the continued expansion of MultiChoice Group’s streaming and OTT [over-the-top] ecosystem across key African markets”.While the smart TV approach is likely to help expose more people to DStv Stream, some consumers still prefer to carry external streaming devices, akin to the decoders of old, like the Apple TV, Google’s Chromecast, Nvidia Shield, Roku or Amazon Fire TV. These external streamers often provide faster processing speeds, more storage, and longer-term software support, as built-in TV apps can become sluggish or lose compatibility as the television ages.Canal+’s strategy may extend further to include some of these platforms in the region. Business Day
