All articles tagged with #subscription
ESPN Unlimited, the home for WWE Premium Live Events, will raise its prices: monthly from $29.99 to $31.99 and annual from $299.99 to $319.99, effective September 17, 2026. ESPN Select plans also increase, and Peacock likewise announced price hikes.
MS NOW announced a stand-alone “Membership” service launching in September at $7.99 per month ($79.99 annually). Described as an additive layer to its cable and digital offerings, the service will feature original content, new verticals on how news and politics affect daily life, 24/7 live streams, and increased opportunities for subscribers to interact with MS NOW’s anchors and reporters. The move positions MS NOW among mid-priced cable-news subscriptions, alongside CNN’s All Access and Fox Nation, as it seeks to deepen audience relationships.
Peacock is increasing prices on all monthly and annual plans for new and returning subscribers, effective Aug. 18; monthly rates rise to Select $8.99, Premium $12.99, and Premium Plus $19.99, while annual prices go to $89.99, $129.99, and $199.99, with existing subscribers switching on or after Sept. 17; the move comes as streaming services push for profitability, and Peacock reported 48 million subscribers at the end of June.
NBCUniversal's Peacock raises prices across all subscription tiers effective Aug 18, 2026: Select $8.99/mo, Premium $12.99/mo, Premium Plus $19.99/mo; annual plans now $89.99/yr, $129.99/yr, and $199.99/yr. New subscribers see the new rates immediately; existing subscribers will see them on/after Sept 17, 2026. Promotional pricing remains until its end. Peacock recently became profitable and launched a membership program; this is the fourth price hike in four years.
NBCUniversal’s Peacock is raising prices across all plans, effective Aug. 18 for new/returning customers and Sept. 17 for current subscribers. The new rates are Peacock Premium (with ads) at $12.99/month, Premium Plus at $19.99/month, and Peacock Select at $8.99/month, marking the streamer’s fourth price hike in as many years. Peacock recently turned its first quarterly profit in Q2 2026 and ended June with about 48 million paid subscribers.
Mashable reports that 1min.AI is offering an Advanced Business Plan with lifetime access for $69.97 (through Aug. 16, normally $540). The plan grants 4,000,000 monthly credits (plus up to 450,000 more via daily logins and tasks) shared across writing, images, audio, and video, and supports up to 20 members with shared workspaces, unlimited prompts, and rollover credits. It includes access to multiple AI models (GPT-5.5 Pro, Claude 4.1 Opus, Claude 4.5 Sonnet, Gemini 3.1 Pro, Llama 3, Mistral) and tools for keyword research, drafting, translation, image generation/editing, and more.
Apple TV has added around 20 classic movies—including The Martian, E.T., Titanic, Zodiac and The Sixth Sense—so they can be streamed for free with an Apple TV+ subscription, a departure from their usual buy/rent model. The subscription costs $12.99 per month or $99 per year, with a seven-day free trial available. It’s unclear how long the collection will remain, but the shift appears aimed at boosting engagement and attracting new subscribers by offering beloved titles from various genres.
Final Fantasy XIV is now available on Nintendo Switch 2. Players can start with an expanded free trial that includes Stormblood and Shadowbringers up to level 80 and access to all job classes, though with restrictions (limited chat, store access, 300k gil cap, no own party creation). After buying any license, you get 30 days of free subscription; Switch 2 (and PS5) users don’t need an Xbox-style online sub. To access the full game, purchase the Final Fantasy XIV Complete Edition (Endwalker and Dawntrail). If you have an active sub on another platform, you’ll need a new Switch 2 license at half price and a separate license for the Switch 2.
Square Enix outlined Final Fantasy XIV on Nintendo Switch 2: the Switch 2 version requires a separate subscription, with subscription fees waived for about a month after launch and a 30‑day free play window once that ends; if you have remaining time on other platforms, the Switch 2 sub is half price (not while free time is active). Payments on Switch 2 use FFXIV Coins bought via the Nintendo eShop and credited after you re‑log in; when playing only on Switch 2, all payments are via FFXIV Coins. A Nintendo Switch Online perk adds one free extra aetheryte destination, and linking your Nintendo and Square Enix accounts is required (they cannot be unlinked). Moving characters between platforms requires selecting your existing service account. Complete Editions are 30% off until Aug 13, 2026.
Final Fantasy XIV launches on Nintendo Switch 2 with a temporary launch subsidy: subscription fees are waived for about a month, followed by a 30-day free play period when you register a new platform; after that you must subscribe to continue. The Switch 2 version has its own subscription, with a possible half-price rate if you have active game time on another platform (not while free time is active). No Nintendo Switch Online subscription is required to play, but Switch Online members get one free extra-aetheryte destination on the Switch 2 version. FFXIV Coins, bought via Nintendo eShop, pay for subscriptions and store items and are credited after you re-login. The Complete Edition is 30% off until Aug 13, 2026. To start, link your Nintendo and Square Enix accounts, purchase on the profile you’ll use, then relaunch to credit coins. The launcher will share game-news and early Switch 2 gameplay is available.
Apple's Tim Cook suggested that heavy Siri AI usage could incur costs beyond an iCloud+ subscription, potentially via an add-on or higher-tier plans, signaling a shift from a simple freemium model to paid usage for intensive Siri tasks—though concrete pricing and thresholds are not yet defined.
SiriusXM is launching SiriusXM Sports Pass, an all-in-one sports subscription priced at $5 per month or $49 per year for new U.S. subscribers, giving access to every NFL, NBA, MLB, NHL game broadcast, plus NASCAR, IndyCar, Formula 1, PGA Tour events, WWE Premium Live Events, and a broad lineup of national and local sports radio channels starting September 1.
Garmin CIRQA targets athletes with detailed training analytics (training readiness, Body Battery) and 80+ sport profiles, a removable 10‑day battery, 5 ATM water resistance, and optional Garmin Connect Plus features; WHOOP 5.0 centers on recovery with a 0–100 recovery score, 145 activity profiles with automatic detection, IP68 water resistance, and a 14‑day battery with a slide‑on charger, but advanced insights require a subscription.
Meta has paused its plan to charge a monthly subscription for the Conversation Focus feature on its Ray-Ban smart glasses, which runs on-device. While some premium features may eventually be subscription-based to subsidize hardware costs, Conversation Focus will remain free for now through an Early Access Program while Meta reevaluates the approach and the use of any rate limits.
Garmin unveiled the Cirqa Smart Band, a screenless fitness tracker that costs $199.99 upfront with no subscription, pitched as a subscription-free alternative to Whoop and Fitbit; it tracks sleep, heart rate, stress, and Body Battery, supports 80 activities via a side button, and syncs data to Garmin Connect, with up to 10 days of battery life. Availability starts July 24, and Garmin aims to lure loyalists and budget-conscious buyers away from recurring-fee models.