Price increases are imminent yet again for Netflix subscribers, but it's not for the reasons you might think.
Scoff all you want, but with a plethora of exclusive television series and movie content at your fingertips, the streaming service juggernaut's subscription fee is still relatively reasonable.
But now in Europe, the company is exploring an additional pricing tier that offers an additional perk.
Meet Netflix Ultra.
According to tech and entertainment website BGR, an Italian blog entry written July 3 by Alessandro Perrone mentioned Netflix could be adding a fourth plan for their European customers: Ultra.
The Ultra plan would include 4K Ultra HD video with High Dynamic Range (HDR) content in addition to all the programs available for premium members.
Italian blog TUTTOANDROID posted this screenshot displaying the four levels of membership prices.
(Screenshot from TUTTOANDROID)
The roughly $3 increase over the Premium plan won't nab subscribers anything else beyond access to HDR content.
However, a sneaky downgrade for the 3rd tier Premium plan might force Netflix members to fork over the extra money to maintain an amenity that will be featured under the Ultra plan.
The Italian users who had early access to the tentative upgrade discovered Premium subscribers lose the perk of viewing content simultaneously from four screens. In the new 4 tier Netflix set-up, access drops down to two screens on the 3rd tier Premium plan and goes back up on Ultra.
For anyone still confused...
Those who are generous with their login passwords would have to reconsider sharing them or pay for the Ultra plan.
The downgrade would also affect Standard subscription members, reducing streaming access from two screens to only one. But the Standard and Premium level prices will not increase (or decrease).
Netflix already offers minimal 4K video and HDR content for Premium subscribers in the United States, but at no additional cost.
The streaming channel told USA Today that they're testing various levels of programming but are withholding an announcement for the Ultra plan stateside.
We continuously test new things at Netflix and these tests typically vary in length of time.
In this case, we are testing slightly different price points and features to better understand how consumers value Netflix. Not everyone will see this test and we may not ever offer the specific price points or features included in this test.
Well, that's a relief!
For now...
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