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Netflix is Testing a New 'Ultra' Tier of Service (cnet.com)
Netflix may be introducing a new, higher tier of service. From a report: Known as Ultra, the new tier would allow four devices to receive Ultra HD video and audio streaming simultaneously, according to Italian blog Tutto Android. Netflix currently has three subscription plans: $7.99 Basic, $10.99 Standard and $13.99 Premium. Basic allows users to watch Netflix on one screen at a time; Standard allows viewing on two screens; and Premium allows four screens. Screens can be TVs, laptops, tablets or smartphones. "We continuously test new things at Netflix and these tests typically vary in length of time," Smita Saran, a Netflix spokeswoman, said in an email. "In this case, we are testing slightly different price points and features to better understand how consumers value Netflix."
The one that more people are subscribing to because they're tired of Netflix's nonsense.
Offer a tier that grants access to movies without geographic restrictions. You know how many Canadians would pay for US content?
I think NZ sells the "Ultra" plan as Premium: https://imgur.com/a/6drgOHY
Never in a million years...
Say I don't want any of my cash to end up in Fox's coffers in license fees, I could go for a Netflix Originals only tier - what about that?
AC comments get piped to
We shouldn't be surprised that they are testing the possibility of simply making more money, although we may have been fooled these past few years into thinking that Netflix's low prices were based on some kind of nice-guy philosophy rather than being an aggressive market-share-grabbing tactic. Now that they've got the market share they are in a position to make a bit more of a squeeze out of their customers. This is just what marketing departments do. If people show that they are willing to pay then the new tier will be a permanent thing. The customer base would do well to not screw itself over and strongly resist this trend but I'm guessing we'll be surprised by the outcome i.e. it will prove successful. Not all of their customers are price-savvy.
Australia's No-Broadband-Service can't cope with existing loads. What's this going to do to peak-time speeds?
They sentenced me to twenty years of boredom
Time to rethink that paper insulated NN rules for all POTS wireline.
Time for some new innovative community broadband so gated communities and gentrified zip codes can enjoy more 4K.
Domestic spying is now "Benign Information Gathering"
I wonder if they'll make me watch -- I... mean... -- if I'll get to watch ST Discovery?
It must have been something you assimilated. . . .
not going to pay for any of this shit as long as their UI gives no choice
How about a plan for the poor serfs stuck in the USA that has a reasonable variety of theater released movies, and not just a bunch of ‘original’ content.
It got pretty bad when every time I searched for a movie I got the results for other ‘similar’ movies. Never the movie I wanted to watch.
The problem with the Ultra plan is that Netflix has barely any UHD content. So ultimately what they're really selling here is a higher tier of sharing. (Is it 4 screens... It 4 people? Wink wink). In which case this is really Netflix lowering rates and doing it under the guise of a higher tier plan.
I'm on Premium, and already and always have 'Ultra'/4k as part of it for four screens
If they ever decrease the number of simultaneous screens and get greedy with this Ultra tier, I'm dropping Netflix and moving to Kodi.
Instead of subscriptions? :/
Ant(Dude) @ Quality Foraged Links (AQFL.net) & The Ant Farm (antfarm.ma.cx / antfarm.home.dhs.org).
I'm very tired of Netflix, to which I subscribe.
The rating system changes, the annoying previews and trailers that automatically play at every spot on there user interface, and the decreased screen real estate for viewing possible selections have really bothered me. The ham-fisted: 'You will like what we provide and have no choice', 'Your input is not important', and 'We can do what we want' attitude is, unfortunately, becoming the norm for them (did they hire a bunch of people from the cable company?)
They are, in fact, hard to cancel -- but, like cable, after a few months the pain should decrease. Unlike cable, it is not so much a matter of cost as a matter of annoyance, unresponsiveness, and an increasing lack of options.
And then Comcast throttles the speed to 480p anyway.
-=This sig has nothing to do with my comment. Move along now=-
Come on Mr. Brainless,
If Netflix were evil, they would have ads. Instead they ensure it is a pleasurable viewing experience free of annoying things like Hulu and Amazon do.
Quit being a bug-eyed nincompoop.
Netflix used to be great with lots of good TV shows and movies. They did well with some OC but lately everything feels B rated and meh.
It's bad enough that I've pulled the plug last month and canceled it.
Maybe next year I'll do a month free trial and see if things have improved.
Maybe they should start getting better movies and shows again. The constant foreign and low-budget shit got old enough that I cancelled a while ago.
Leave it to the to misspell "streams" as "screens".
I really don't give a crap about UHD resolution video. But if it includes UHD Audio then I am all for it!
(Is it 4 screens... It 4 people? Wink wink).
For the wink, wink to happen, you would neet at least 8 people in front of those 4 screens. ..and chill part of netflix activities usually requires a minimum of 2 bodies.
The
"Sufficiently advanced satire is indistinguishable from reality." - [Tips: 1DrYakQDKCQ6y52z6QbnkxHXAocMZJE61o ]
Spltt the supscription choce into 2 caregories
1: numer of simulttanius streams now (well screens in netflijs lingo)
2 : maxsimum resolusion
The way things are now a singel oerson household (me for instance) who wants uhd needs to oe for 3 orhe screens they will never use, which has the unintended conesqence of âoeincurragingâ people to prake the tos an share the account with friends etc. What genious decided the bette oicture qualiry atomativly ment you neede more screens? To be clear I am aware that the uhd option would mske the singel screen option mor exspensive, and Iâ(TM)m fine with that as there ate ekstra costs providing UHD, banwith storrage etc) just be transparant in thr way products ar priced
Have you suffered a head injury?
They already raised the prices recently.. Now they will change my subscription and lower the number of devices from 4 to 2. So basically, it's a price raise, and I'll have to pay more, again.
Thanks Netflix.
I wonder if this new feature will make users aware of the fact that a movie is in a foreign language and subtitled before they watch it.
This snippet isn't telling the full story.
While basic is limited to 1 screen, it's also limited to only SD streaming.
Standard has HD
And now this new premium has 4k HD
But prior to this plan change, standard members could stream 4k video. Now they require you to pay about 20% more to get what you previously had.
How much did the Netflix/Obama content deal cost? The Ultra price increase should cover it.
but we are back to the same old cable tv crap. Subscribe to 5 services to get what we want. The main difference is that it is over IP, on demand and the company names have changed a bit.
Not that I expected that it would turn out otherwise.
L'Idiot
I prefer the expanded catalog of the DVD/Blu-Ray plan.
Had to RTFA to see the nasty part of this change: Premium users may get cut down to 2 screens at a time from the current 4. Premium already offers Ultra HD content across 4 screens. So this is basically another way for Netflix to hike their streaming prices, not offer customers more choice.
I just looked at my plan before I typed this to make sure I wasn't reading wrong. I am on the Premium plan which is 4 screens + Ultra HD. That's right. Ultra HD on all 4 screens. So ... this is definitely fake news.
I do not respond to trolls (AKA Anonymous Cowards)
Why allow a user to create 5 different accounts (or is it 4?) if you can only view it on 1 or 2 screens using their basic/standard services? If you're going to lock it down, lock it down as 1 screen per family member.
"the new tier would allow four devices to receive Ultra HD video and audio streaming simultaneously."