When Quibi launched earlier this year, it sounded kind of cool. Episodes specifically designed for mobile viewing that automatically adjusted to however you were currently holding your phone? Sure, let's give it a shot! But unfortunately, Quibi never really took off. Now, the only episode left is a finale for the video streaming platform itself—The Wall Street Journal says Quibi has decided to shut down.

Earlier today, Quibi founder Jeffrey Katzenberg informed investors that he is shutting the service down. It's a disappointing end for the service that promised to revolutionize the way we consume content. Analysts believe the pandemic situation kept many potential Quibi-ers stuck at home instead of on-the-go, which made the mobile-optimized video less appealing. When people want to watch something at home, they generally prefer to use the biggest screen possible.

When it launched, Quibi didn't work on smart TVs or even support Chromecasting content to them. Heck, it still doesn't have a web client. The company finally introduced apps for Android TV, Apple TV, and Fire TV yesterday, but it was a little late to do any good. While Katzenberg reportedly tried to sell Quibi off to someone else, several potential suitors were put off that Quibi doesn't own most of the shows it streams.

The service did boast some unique content from big names in entertainment, but ultimately, that wasn't enough to save Quibi from drowning in a sea of streaming services that offer more content on more devices. It's unclear when Quibi will go offline and what'll happen to its content, but an official announcement of the shutdown will most likely appear soon with those details.

Source: WSJ