All articles tagged with #subscription
Sony has confirmed that price increases apply to all PlayStation Plus tiers—Essential, Extra, and Premium—effective May 20, 2026 for new customers, with Extra priced at £11.99/month (£34.99 for three months) and Premium at £14.99/month (£43.99 for three months) in the UK; annual subscriptions remain unchanged for now, following an earlier PS5 price rise.
AcuRite is forcing users to switch from the long-running My AcuRite app to AcuRite Now by May 30, 2026, introducing a subscription tier (AcuRite Now+) for extended data; customers complain about missing features and limited data display, risking dissatisfaction and potential churn while the company argues the move simplifies its platform and enables future improvements.
WhatsApp is rolling out a paid iOS plan called WhatsApp Plus aimed at heavy users, adding customization options such as premium sticker packs with fullscreen animations, 18 accent colors, 14 alternate app icons, bulk theme/ringtone settings, and an expanded pinned-chat limit (3→20); pricing is €2.49/month in Europe or $29 in Mexico with potential free trials, while core messaging and encryption remain free and the rollout is limited to a small beta for now.
Final Fantasy XIV is coming to Nintendo Switch 2 in August 2026, but the Switch 2 edition will require its own separate subscription (Nintendo Online won’t be needed). Active FF14 subscribers can buy the Switch 2 version for 50% off, though the price and exact date are not yet announced. The release accompanies Patch 7.5: Trail to the Heavens and the Dawntrail expansion.
Analysts view Microsoft's decision to lower Game Pass prices and drop Call of Duty as a day-one offering as a calculated shift after CoD’s limited impact on boosting subscriptions and revenues. While some dispute whether CoD revenue was savable, all see the price cut as likely to grow subscribers by 2026, with Ampere forecasting higher ARPU and lower churn as prices normalize; the move underscores a pragmatic, windowed approach to first-party releases and continued emphasis on value in a growing subscription market.
WhatsApp is testing a paid subscription tier called WhatsApp Plus for Android beta users. It adds customization features such as premium sticker packs with fullscreen animations, optional accent colors, and alternative app icons, plus a higher pinned-chat limit (3 to 20), 10 exclusive ringtones, and bulk theming/notification options across chats. The beta shows €2.49 per month in Europe and $29 in Mexico, with a potential one-month free trial; core messaging remains free, and the plan isn’t expected to affect WhatsApp Business. iOS support and wider rollout are planned for future releases.
Microsoft Gaming CEO Asha Sharma reportedly said Game Pass pricing will change, noting it has become too expensive for players. An internal memo obtained by The Verge suggests a move toward a more flexible value equation and longer testing, following last year’s price increases of up to 50%. The company says it will preserve current plans for existing auto-renewing customers in some regions unless they cancel and repurchase.
Amazon Prime Video Channels is offering a limited-time bundle that pairs Apple TV with Peacock Premium Plus for $19.99 per month, about $10 cheaper than subscribing to both services separately; Peacock Premium Plus is ad-free except for live sports and includes downloads and NBC local stations, while Apple TV remains largely ad-free outside live sports; this deal follows NBCUniversal’s push to grow Peacock and a previous October bundle that did not involve Amazon.
A Windows Central report claims Microsoft is considering removing Call of Duty from Day One access on Game Pass this year, arguing the blockbuster game's dominance has undercut Game Pass pricing and strategy; the move, if true, would reflect broader plans to adjust Game Pass tiers and content, but has not been confirmed.
Netflix raises prices again, increasing monthly rates across plans and adding fees for extra members. The standard plan with ads is now $8.99, standard $19.99, premium $26.99, with extra member fees of $7.99 (ads) or $9.99 (no ads). Existing members will be notified in the coming weeks, while new members see the new prices first; this is Netflix’s second price hike in two years as it expands live programming and podcasts.
Netflix is raising prices on all subscription tiers in the US, with the ad-supported Standard plan going from $8 to $9, the ad-free plan from $18 to $20, and the Premium plan from $25 to $27. Adding another member now costs $8 on the ad-supported plan or $10 on the ad-free plan. The changes will roll out to current subscribers in the coming weeks, and existing members will be emailed about the price updates ahead of the switch.
Warhammer Community announces Spearhead, a UK weekly magazine in partnership with Hachette that bundles miniatures, terrain, paints, and tools to introduce players to Warhammer Age of Sigmar and grow twelve Spearhead armies. Each issue includes lore, guides, and progressive tutorials, plus step-by-step painting tips. A premium subscription adds legendary monsters and heroes. Available now in UK retailers or via Hachette’s site.
Pokemon Champions will offer 30-slot free storage, with a Starter Pack lifting storage to 80 and a planned paid subscription to increase storage, add more teams, unlock premium missions, and play extra battle songs. A premium Battle Pass will speed up access to Mega Stones and certain Pokemon. The game releases on Nintendo Switch in April, with a mobile release later in the year; pricing for paid options hasn’t been announced yet.
ZDNET reviews Hilo, a wrist-worn, FDA-cleared blood pressure monitor that continuously tracks BP and can alert to hypertension. It’s accurate and durable but requires monthly cuff calibrations, costs about $80 per year after the first year for full app access, and data access is limited otherwise. Sleep tracking is weak, and the overall price undermines its appeal compared with cheaper cuffs or other wearables.
1Password is raising the annual cost of its individual and family plans, with the individual rate jumping from about $36 to $48 per year and the family plan from $60 to $72; the new prices apply at the next renewal after March 27. It’s the biggest price increase in years, though the service remains a leading password manager and occasional discounts may still appear.