The world's biggest streaming service might soon introduce its most expensive tier yet. At present, Netflix offers three subscription plans, starting at $7.99 per month and going up to $13.99.
But as per a report by Italian blog Tutto Android, Netflix is planning to unveil a new "Ultra" plan that costs €16.99 — roughly $20 when converted stateside. Promotional material for this new tier suggests it would essentially be the same as the current "Premium" tier.
What You Need To Know About The Rumored Ultra Plan On Netflix
To accommodate the new Ultra plan, Netflix is implementing some changes, which could definitely be controversial. Rather than being able to stream movies and TV shows on four devices at a time, Premium subscribers will now be limited to two simultaneous streams. Four-way simultaneous streaming will be an incentive for Ultra subscribers instead. Worst of all, the Standard tier will be cut to just one stream at a time, instead of the usual two, according to the report.
In a sense, the Ultra tier is the same as a Premium tier, but pricier. Current Premium subscribers would have to buy into the new Ultra plan if they want to maintain their current benefits, especially four simultaneous streams at any given time. That begs the question: why didn't Netflix simply introduce a price hike for all its tiers? Wouldn't that be much easier and less convoluted? It's easy to see where it's coming from, though — another price hike would certainly draw more ire from its audience.
In a statement shared to CNET, a Netflix spokesperson said it's "continuously" testing new things, but that doesn't indicate plans for a full rollout.
"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."
Netflix And Price Hikes
Of course, price hikes have become common for Netflix. In October last year, the company bumped its Standard tier by $1 and its Premium tier by $2. But this rumored price hike is unprecedented: if the Ultra tier rolls out, that would mean a price hike of $6 for Premium subscribers.
What do you think? If you're an existing Netflix subscriber, Would you pay $6 more for the Ultra plan as described above? As always, if you have anything to share, feel free to sound off in the comments section below!
