Cover image via wigflip.com
The Internet exploded today with news that popular media streaming service Netflix is now available globally, going live in more than 130 countries including Malaysia
Image via Digital Trends
Netflix boasts of being the world's leading Internet television network with 70 million members who watch 125 million hours of TV shows and movies daily
RM33 per month for a Netflix subscription may sound like a small price to pay in exchange for an extensive database of awesome TV shows and movies, but there's a catch — you will have to pay more to get them in HD or Ultra HD
Image via Netflix/Soya Cincau
Meanwhile, iflix a.k.a. the "Netflix of Asia" only costs a flat rate of RM8 for a month's subscription
Image via iflix
**Furthermore, a free 12-months iflix subscription worth RM96 is also available for all TM [UniFi](http://says.com/my/tech/malaysians-rejoice-you-can-now-get-internet-speeds-of-up-to-50mbps-thanks-to-telekom) home users.**
Netflix may offer a wider selection of Western shows and even produces its own material (Netflix exclusives), but it has yet to add Asian-oriented programs to its roster
Image via Winsource
There are, in fact, Asian-inspired shows such as 'Marco Polo' and the upcoming sequel to Ang Lee's 'Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon' in Netflix's collection of original programs. They are, however, filmed and recorded in English.
Lack of Asian shows aside, some of our writers are pretty excited about getting to watch House of Cards and Orange Is The New Black **legally** though, so that's a HUGE PLUS. #yass
iflix's selection of English TV shows and movies are limited, but it makes up for it with a variety of Korean, Malay, Filipino and other Asian content
Image via Speed Magazine
As iflix CEO Azran Osman-Rani said, **"Hollywood stuff works, but they also want to see more Asian content like Korean dramas, local content or even Hollywood stuff in their local language."**
"So localising and adapting to our subscribers is a skill and value we're aiming to build to differentiate ourselves from Netflix with a really low price to reach this mass market."
**"Local original programming is a core pillar of our strategy, we have already started to engage with local producers to ask them to pitch their ideas to us that are new and not regular stuff that you would see on TV."**
