New details on Netflix’s controversial upcoming ad-supported plan have emerged. The information was first brought forward in a recent article by Bloomberg.
The biggest questions on potential users’ minds – i.e. how much the ad-supported option is going to cost every month – has not received a definitive answer. Nevertheless, according to Bloomberg’s sources, we might be eying a figure of around $7-$9 a month.
For reference, Netflix currently offers three subscription plans – at $9.99, $15.49, and $19.99, respectively. Currently, it seems that the midrange offering is the most popular one. With an ad-supported plan on the horizon (whose price will potentially be up to 30% less than that of the current entry-level option), we could see the figures shake up a bit.
It should be noted that Netflix has historically opposed any form of ads on its platform. However, after the company reported a loss of monthly subscribers back in April, the streaming giant seems to have experienced a change of heart.
With COVID-19 regulations easing up throughout the world, people are spending less and less time indoors and in front of their TVs. Hence, all streaming platforms are now doing everything they can to sway the remaining users their way. Perhaps the best tactic is offering a sweet subscription deal.
Netflix’s ad-supported plan is nothing new per se as it replicates the approach of other streaming platforms like Hulu. Netflix, however, will reportedly be more reasonable with advertising time capping it at about 4 minutes per hour. The streaming service will also refrain from rolling ads after the end of a show.
According to Bloomberg, the ad-supported plan is set to debut by the end of 2022, in the final quarter of the year. A more wide-scale release will reportedly take place in 2023.