Netflix prices have gone up in the UK, with the increase set to come into effect this week for existing customers.
Netflix
The Streaming Wars Are Only Going to Intensify in 2021
2020 was, you may have noticed, a big year in the streaming wars. However, Input thinks things are going to escalate even further in 2021. Looking at the amount of content on the way, it’s hard to disagree.
Aside from Netflix, which had more than a year’s worth of content on hand before lockdowns began, every major service experienced significant delays, pushing back their original slates of programming. With Hollywood productions back up and running for 2021, this will be the year the streaming wars begin in earnest. Even when just looking at the smaller services, the year ahead should prove exciting. Apple TV+ is gearing up to release Foundation, its next flagship prestige series, along with new seasons of shows the service launched with. CBS All-Access will be rebranding to Paramount+, an effort to reflect the more diverse content offering outside the kind of shows geared to the, er, typical CBS audience. Amazon Prime will drop the first season of its incredibly expensive Lord of the Rings adaptation. Oh, and Funimation bought Crunchyroll, bringing the bulk of anime licenses into one place for the first time.
Netflix Standard Plan and Premium Increase in Price
The Netflix standard and premium plans are getting a price increase. Standard is increasing to US$13/month while premium will cost US$18/month.
Facebook Doesn’t Like Netflix Documentary ‘The Social Dilemma’
Facebook has published criticism of “The Social Dilemma” a Netflix documentary that reveals how social platforms use algorithms as addiction.
“Rather than offer a nuanced look at technology, it gives a distorted view of how social media platforms work to create a convenient scapegoat for what are difficult and complex societal problems,” Facebook said.
However, one issued raised in the movie is that Facebook’s algorithms learn more specific things about users, like their preferred political party, and shows them news it think they will agree with. That problem doesn’t happen on the services Facebook compares itself to.
Difficult and complex societal problems that you monetize.
TMO Contributor Kelly Guimont (#11) - TMO BGM Interview
Kelly Guimont is a long-time podcaster, Contributing Editor for The Mac Observer, the host of the Mac Observer’s Daily Observations podcast, and a tech support guru.
In her 11th appearance, Kelly and I chat about our favorite TV shows of the 1980s as well as some of our favorite, recent movies. I open segment #1 with a fond recollection by both us us for Miami Vice (Starz), then similar feelings about Hill Street Blues (Hulu). A Kelly favorite along with me was: Magnum P.I. (Amazon). In segment #2 we critiqued Knives Out (iTunes), Onward (Disney+), Saving Mr. Banks (Netflix) and superb scifi The Lost Room (Amazon). Join us as we explore together what’s great about these shows.
Apple on a Roll, Apple TV+ and Streaming Video, with John Martellaro - ACM 527
John Martellaro joins Bryan Chaffin to discuss Apple’s recent roll when it comes to launching new products. They also talk about Apple TV+ and the other streaming video services, which are seeing a bit of a book thanks for shelter-in-place orders—including what it means for the future.
Netflix Subscriptions Soar During Coronavirus Lockdown, Underlining its Dominance in The Streaming Wars
Netflix gained 15.77 million paid subscribers in Q1 2020, outlining just how dominant a position it holds in the streaming wars.
How to Lock Your Netflix Profile With a PIN
Netflix added several improvements to enhance its parental control features. One change lets you lock your Netflix profile with a PIN.
The Pick Your Streaming Service and Device Giveaway: HBO Now, Apple TV+, Hulu, Disney+, More
We have a giveaway for you today called The Pick Your Streaming Service and Device Giveaway. The winner can choose a streaming device, including, but not limited to: Apple TV, Roku, Amazon Fire Stick, and Google ChromeCast. And, a 1-year subscription to the streaming service of your choice — including, but not limited to: Netflix, Hulu, HBO, Showtime, and Disney+. Cool, right? To enter, register for our deal emails (which you should do anyway). If you’re already registered, click the Enter to Win button on the giveaway listing.
Netflix Relief Fund Gives $100M for Halted Productions
Netflix is creating a US$100 million relief fund to help productions that were halted due to the coronavirus.
What Impact Does Watching Netflix Have Climate Change?
Despite what mainstream media wants you to think, the outcome is mostly still unclear when it comes to Netflix binging.
On one hand, the paper reports, strides in data center efficiency have mostly kept pace with growing demand for data, meaning that in the last decade the total amount of energy consumed by the centers has not changed much—around 1% of global energy use. That’s about the same as 18 million US homes.
On the other hand, it’s clear that we’re approaching a limit to squeezing out more efficiency—especially given the rise of data-ravenous artificial intelligence.
What I find annoying about the debates around climate change is how a lot of mainstream media are trying to blame people. Like blaming their Netflix binging instead of reporting the facts like 100 corporations are responsible for 71% of emissions. Sure, Netflix wouldn’t exist without its users, but I think it’s important to focus on how much more damage a corporation does than an individual.
Netflix Top 10 Lists Appear Today to Show Popular Content
Starting today Netflix is rolling out a Top 10 lists feature that will update every day. It will feature the platform’s most popular content.
“Starting today you’ll notice something new when you go on Netflix: The Top 10 row,” the company said in a tweet. “The lists update daily to show what’s popular in your country and are broken into three categories: Netflix overall, shows & films.”
The most popular Netflix offerings in your country should show up in their own row once you log in to your Netflix account, the company said. “The list is rolling out globally now and should be on your homepage by the end of the day at the latest.”
The Woman Who Got Netflix to Let Users Turn Off Autoplay Videos
Last week, Netflix introduced the ability to turn off those annoying autoplay videos. Recode spoke to Sarah Hollowell, the woman who made it happen.
A week after her volley of tweets, Netflix retweeted Hollowell and announced the updated settings. This is a big deal, if you follow Netflix Twitter much. People reviled these autoplay previews so much that there’s a dedicated Twitter account collecting the complaints, including one widely circulated smirk from Knives Out director Rian Johnson. Outrage like this has spilled over to seemingly every corner of the internet. If you click through any of those links, you’ll also realize that people have been yelling at Netflix about this for years. There’s even a Change.org petition started by a Melissa Bryant, a passionate Netflix user from Maine, that racked up nearly 125,000 signatures in the past two months.
TMO UK Associate Editor Charlotte Henry (#4) - TMO Background Mode Interview
Charlotte Henry is a London-based technical journalist. A self-described media junkie, she writes about Apple — and now for the Mac Observer as well as our UK Associate Editor. She has also written for City A.M. (London’s daily business tabloid,) Computer Business Review, the Independent on Sunday and CapX. Her new book is: Not Buying It.
In this special episode, Charlotte and I discuss the various streaming TV services: Apple TV+, Netflix, Amazon, Disney+, CBS All Access, Britbox, Peacock, and Quibi. We chat about our favorite shows, our experiences viewing, the pricing, and the prospects of success for the new guys on the block. Charlotte loves The Bold Type (Netflix). John waxes poetic about The Mandalorian and Star Trek: Picard.
Here’s How to Turn Off Netflix Autoplay Previews
Today we can finally turn off Netflix autoplay previews, a feature that annoyed many users. You’ll have to sign in to Netflix in a browser.
Apple Hires Netflix Engineer Ruslan Meshenberg
Apple has hired Netflix engineer Ruslan Meshenberg, an important employee who helped build the platform and made it fast and stable.
MGM Held Preliminary Talks With Apple About a Possible Acquisition
Both Apple and Netflix are understood to have held preliminary talks with MGM about potentially acquiring the media firm.
Netflix Claims People Are Googling 'The Witcher' More Often Than 'The Morning Show'
According to Netflix, more people are searching more often for ‘The Witcher’ than ‘The Morning Show’, ‘Jack Ryan’, or ‘The Mandalorian’.
Podcasts
‘Altered Carbon’ Season 2 Arrives on Netflix February 27
Good news for sci-fi fans: Altered Carbon season 2 arrives on Netflix February 27, 2020.
Season 2 of the sophisticated and compelling sci-fi drama finds Takeshi Kovacs (Anthony Mackie), the lone surviving soldier of a group of elite interstellar warriors, continuing his centuries-old quest to find his lost love Quellcrist Falconer (Renée Elise Goldsberry).
I enjoyed watching the show so I’m excited for season 2. It’s been so long since I’ve seen season 1 that I forgot For All Mankind’s Joel Kinnaman was in it.
