Netflix plans to increase its premium prices
The Wall Street Journal reports that Netflix is considering raising the price of its premium subscriptions, which currently start at $15.49 in the United States. However, no information has been given as to the extent of this increase or the exact date on which it will be implemented. It seems that the platform is waiting for the actors’ and writers’ strike in Hollywood to end, which could happen soon.
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. In March 2022, Netflix had already increased its prices in these two countries, while in Europe, the last increase dates back to October 2021.
- United States and Canada: these two countries will be the first to suffer this new price increase.
- Europe: the last price increase dates back to October 2021.
Removal of the Essential plan in North America
Separately, Netflix removed the Essential plan in North America this summer, forcing customers to choose between an ad-supported option or premium subscriptions. We can hope that this Essential plan remains available in France for €8.99, but its lifespan could be compromised if the platform increases its prices.
Disney+ is also changing its pricing structure
The American video-on-demand giant is not the only one to revise its prices upwards. From December 1, Disney+ will offer a new price list in France. This maintains the Standard subscription at €8.99, but certain features such as 4K quality or Dolby Atmos audio will disappear.
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 suit and increase their prices, amid increasingly fierce competition between platforms.
- Subscribers: they will have to face increasing costs without benefiting from new features.
- Streaming services: they could follow this upward trend and increase their prices in turn.
Areas for improvement to justify price increases
In order to make these new increases acceptable to subscribers, Netflix and Disney+ could propose concrete improvements in terms of content, accessibility or usability. Here are some suggestions:
- 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 are part of a context of fierce competition in the streaming market, where each player must stand out to retain and attract subscribers. Future announcements from Netflix and Disney+ will therefore be closely scrutinized by users, who will undoubtedly wait for solid justifications for these additional costs.