Short-video app Quibi is shutting down just six months after its early April launch after struggling to find customers.
But the service struggled to reach viewers, despite a 90-day free trial, as short videos abound on the internet and the coronavirus pandemic kept many people at home.
Part of the appeal of the service, which started at $5 a month, was supposed to be that you could watch short videos while out, without access to a TV.
Being stuck at home made TV more desirable than watching on a phone, and Quibi only later and slowly rolled out TV options.
Mobile research firm Sensor Tower estimates 9.6 million installations of Quibi’s mobile app since its launch; that doesn't mean those are actually users.