Netflix is raising all plan prices again this year
A few days ago, we learned Netflix account sharing could be coming to an end. As if that wasn’t bumming out subscribers already, it’s now being reported that a price increase is on the way.
Netflix is raising all three of their plan prices between 13 and 18 percent across the board, Deadline reports. This increase will mark the fourth one for the streaming giant with the most recent being in late 2017.
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New subscribers will be affected immediately while existing users will be phased into the new cost over three months.
The Basic plan, which allows you to watch on one screen at a time raised from $7.99 to 8.99.
The most popular Standard option allows users to watch in HD and on up to two screens at a time. It will raise from $10.99 to $12.99.
The final plan option, Premium, allows HD and Ultra HD viewing on up to four screens. It will raise from $13.99 to $15.99.
Based on their last quarterly report, Netflix had 137 million subscribers, 58 million of which are in the U.S.
“We change pricing from time to time as we continue investing in great entertainment and improving the overall Netflix experience,” the company says in a statement to the Associated Press.
Netflix and account sharing
The era of sharing your Netflix account with your friends and family that live outside of your household might be coming to an end.
Software company Synamedia unveiled some new technology during CES in Las Vegas that allow streaming companies to use artificial intelligence to detect and flag users who are logged on the account in various locations. This means Netflix, Amazon Prime and Hulu users are at risk for getting kicked off accounts that don’t belong to them.
The software analyzes locations based on who is logged in and where. If that wasn’t creepy enough, the software can also tell if a person is logged in at home, work or from a vacation spot in a hotel.
It was revealed by Synamedia at the event that almost 26 percent of millennials share their Netflix account with others. It might seem harmless, but it adds up to billions of dollars in losses for the streaming industry.
“Casual credentials sharing is becoming too expensive to ignore. Our new solution gives operators the ability to take action,” the CPO of Synamedia said. “Many casual users will be happy to pay an additional fee for a premium, shared service with a greater number of concurrent users. It’s a great way to keep honest people honest while benefiting from an incremental revenue stream.”
This isn’t the only major change Netflix has made in the past few months. In November, Netflix was testing a mobile-only plan in Asia that was cheaper for users who only used the app on their phones. It’s unclear if it will arrive in the U.S., but that could be a low cost alternative for people who might have to pay for their own Netflix account soon.
It’s unclear when the new software will be put into place. Therefore, Netflix moochers should enjoy their free access while they can.
What do you think of all the changes with Netflix? Sound off in the comments below!
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