Vodafone Idea to bring new Music app to take on Airtel Wynk, JioSaavn: Will it draw more subscribers?

Vodafone Idea is reportedly planning to discontinue Idea Music and bring a similar new multimedia streaming app to take on Airtel Wynk and Reliance JioSaavn.

Despite being the leading network service provider in India, Vodafone Idea is facing a stiff challenge from Reliance Jio and Airtel. The company earlier in the month announced that it lost more than 35 million subscribers in the quarter ending in December 2018.

The Vodafone Idea userbase is expected to further decline in coming days, as the company, a few weeks ago, discontinued services to the prepaid customers with low currency balance. However, Vodafone Idea, probably to mitigate attrition, launched several affordable long-term validity packs with prices ranging Rs 119 to Rs 1,999 yearly prepaid plans.

Also, the company in a bid a to broaden their presence in south India signed a deal with Sun TV network to offer customers access to latter's over-the-top platform, exclusive digital content in regional languages including Kannada, Malayalam, Tamil and Telugu.

Now, Vodafone Idea will soon bring exclusive music content in multiple languages. "We are sunsetting the Idea Music app and we will come up very soon with an offering that will provide the best-in-class music streaming services, through a partnership that we are in the final stages of closing," Livemint quoted Balesh Sharma, chief executive officer of Vodafone Idea, as saying in a post-earnings conference call with analysts.

Will the Vodafone Idea's new music streaming app sustain existing customers from leaving or attract new subscribers?

Well, it depends on how much content is available in the music content. For instance, Airtel's Wynk and Reliance JioSaavn have millions of songs in all possible Indian languages, but existing Idea Music app has very little to show and that is why it is being shut down.

In order to give a stiff challenge, Vodafone Idea has to bring enticing music app with all the latest Indian and western songs and also bring in value-added features like allowing consumers to create personal playlists and can be played offline at least for a limited time and beyond which has to allowed via a small subscription fee. Also, Vodafone can try signing up young up and coming artists to release their music album exclusively on their platform. This will certainly give an edge over the competition and be able to attract youth and make them loyal to their telecom service.