Attention Netflix and Disney+ subscribers: discover the price surprises that await you!
Netflix plans to increase the price of its premium subscriptions
According to the Wall Street Journal, Netflix is considering raising the price of its premium subscriptions, which currently start at $15.49 in the United States. It is not specified the extent of this increase nor the exact date of its implementation, but it seems that the platform is waiting for the end of the strike of actors and screenwriters in Hollywood, a resolution being near.
Several countries affected by this price increase
While waiting for the strike to end, several countries will be affected by this increase, notably the United States and Canada. Netflix had already increased its prices in these two countries in March 2022. In Europe, the last increase dates back to October 2021.
- United States and Canada: first countries affected by this new price increase.
- Europe: the last price increase dates back to October 2021.
Removal of the Essential plan in North America
This summer, Netflix removed the Essential plan in North America, leaving customers with the choice between an ad-supported option or premium subscriptions. We can hope that this Essential plan remains available in France at the price of €8.99, but it could disappear if the platform increases its prices.
Disney+ is also changing its pricing structure
Disney+, the American video-on-demand giant, is not the only one to revise its prices upwards. From December 1 in France, Disney+ will offer a new price list. This retains the Standard subscription at €8.99 but removes certain features such as 4K quality or Dolby Atmos audio.
Consequences of these increases on subscribers and the streaming market
These price increases risk dissatisfying subscribers, who will have to pay more without benefiting from new features in return. It is also possible that other streaming services will follow this upward trend, amid increasingly fierce competition between platforms.
- Subscribers: will have to face increasing costs without benefiting from new functionalities.
- Streaming services: could also increase their prices.
Areas for improvement to justify price increases
To make these new increases acceptable to subscribers, Netflix and Disney+ could propose concrete improvements in terms of content, accessibility or ergonomics. Here are some possible avenues:
- Content : expand the catalog with new exclusive films and series, offer more local productions.
- Accessibility: facilitate access to content for visually and hearing impaired people, add new subtitling and dubbing languages.
- Ergonomics: improve navigation on platforms, promote personalized recommendations, develop sharing features between friends.
These price increases take place in a context of fierce competition in the streaming market, where each player must stand out to retain and attract subscribers. Upcoming announcements from Netflix and Disney+ will therefore be closely scrutinized by users, who surely expect more from these giants to justify these additional costs.