Fox Launches Free Ad-Supported UK TV Streaming Service Tubi

The chances are reasonably good that most internet users in the UK didn’t wake up this morning and, while craned offer a hot cup of coffee, think “gosh, I know what this already fragmented video content market really needs, ANOTHER streaming platform!“. But that is what Rupert Murdoch’s Fox Corporation has just launched in Tubi. At least it’s “free“.

The platform, which has been available in North America for a while and is now home to 80 million active users, takes a different approach from other paid streaming services by being ad-supported and free. So, you should expect to be forced into watching a few adverts while streaming one of Tubi’s 20,000+ movies and TV episodes on-demand, including a small selection of originals made for Tubi.

The content it includes comes from the likes of Disney, Lionsgate, NBCUniversal, and Sony Pictures Entertainment, as well as some “modern British classics” and “well-known UK TV franchises” alongside new areas of discovery – from Bollywood and Nollywood to Arthouse Cinema.

Fox states that, over the “coming weeks“, Tubi will be available for UK viewers to access as a “free application on every major connected TV platform, iOS and Android smartphones, and on the web.” But you can also just go directly to the Tubi website right now and access the content, without even needing to register for an account, which is nice.

Anjali Sud, CEO of Tubi, said:

“Tubi has spent the last decade honing our approach to vast, free and fun streaming in North America, and we feel that now is the perfect time to bring that recipe to UK audiences. We are launching with one of the largest and most diverse content libraries in the UK, designed to indulge viewers in everything from blockbusters to original stories to hidden gems. Most importantly, we’re committed to listening to what resonates with UK fans, and bringing them more and more of what they love.”

A quick look at Tubi’s website shows a selection of movies from the Twilight saga, as well as various less familiar – or even popular titles – most of which you’ve probably never heard of before (the Sci-Fi section is a veritable paradise for B-Movie fans). But if you’re willing to dig a little deeper then there is quite a lot of content to be found, including some good stuff too.

In terms of the platform’s broadband requirements, you’ll need at least a 1Mbps download speed, although the “optimum” recommended connection is 4Mbps. A quick test showed that most of the content quality options max out at 720p, although it’s unclear whether it will scale to anything higher. But the actual video quality still seemed to be fairly good during our testing, even for a lower bitrate, and you can’t expect miracles from a free service.