iQIYI Unveils "Vertical Video Zone" for Dedicated Mobile Portrait Mode Viewing Experience

BEIJING, Jan. 3, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- iQIYI, Inc. (NASDAQ:IQ) ("iQIYI" or the "Company"), an innovative market-leading online entertainment service in China, today announced the launch of "iQIYI Vertical Zone", a new channel on its mobile app devoted entirely to video that can be watched in portrait mode on a smartphone. The announcement makes iQIYI China's first regular length video platform to launch a channel dedicated to portrait mode video.

The iQIYI Vertical Zone launches with a selection of 25 sets of video, including the groundbreaking "Ugh! Life", iQIYI's first professionally produced vertical video-exclusive short-form comedy series, as well as selected clips including interviews and behind the scenes footage from iQIYI original content such as "The Rap of China", "I, Actor", "U Can U Bibi" and "The Chinese Youth." iQIYI also announced a sustained commitment to producing vertical video content, with twenty new portrait mode series planned for release this year, at rate of 1-2 per month. The new portrait mode content will include multiple content formats such as dramas, variety shows and cartoons.

The release of the iQIYI Vertical Zone is part of iQIYI's commitment to continued investment in portrait mode video, a viewing method the company predicts will become increasingly prominent as greater numbers of users view video content on their mobile devices. A recent survey by QuestMobile found that iQIYI's core demographic of young urbanites and members of Generation Z spend nearly 10 percent of their time on mobile devices watching short-form video.

"As technology changes the way people view content, entertainment platforms must respond to these changes by reassessing the way content is presented," said Wang Xiaohui, Chief Content Officer at iQIYI. "The launch of iQIYI's dedicated Vertical Video Zone is a breakthrough which underlines our commitment to vertical video, a format we believe is swiftly becoming one of the most important in online entertainment."

The new channel is divided into four content categories, covering youth-focused content like "The Rap of China"; talk shows and variety show content; comedy content like "Ugh! Life"; and a music, food and lifestyle-focused category featuring shows like "Vegetarian".

iQIYI's Vertical Video Zone also represents a step forward for the company's cutting edge self-developed technology. The company was able to accomplish the conversion of massive quantities of horizontal video into vertical format through the use of high-end AI processing technology. iQIYI ensured a smooth viewing experience for its mobile users through the use of industry-leading rendering and preloading technology and high-speed cloud storage, eliminating worries about lag or loss of video quality.

About iQIYI, Inc.

iQIYI, Inc. (NASDAQ: IQ) ("iQIYI" or the "Company") is an innovative market-leading online entertainment service in China. Its corporate DNA combines creative talent with technology, fostering an environment for continuous innovation and the production of blockbuster content. iQIYI's platform features highly popular original content, as well as a comprehensive library of other professionally-produced content, partner-generated content and user-generated content. The Company distinguishes itself in the online entertainment industry by its leading technology platform powered by advanced AI, big data analytics and other core proprietary technologies. iQIYI attracts a massive user base with tremendous user engagement and has developed diversified monetization models, including membership services, online advertising services, content distribution, live broadcasting, online games, IP licensing, online literature and e-commerce etc. For more information on iQIYI, please visit http://ir.iqiyi.com.

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