Netflix revises US subscription rates, India prices remain unchanged
Washington: Streaming platform Netflix has raised subscription prices across all its plans in the United States and select international markets, while retaining existing pricing in India.
According to Reuters, the new rates are now shown on the company's website, with the ad-supported subscription is priced at $8.99 per month. This is an increase from $7.99. The standard plan has been hiked by $2 to $19.99 per month. The premium plan will now cost $26.99, up from $24.99 before. The fee for adding additional members has also been reduced to $7.99 for ad-supported accounts and $9.99 for ad-free subscriptions.
The rates are raised due to the company's broadening plan of its programming, which is slated to include formats such as live sporting events and video podcasts. The platform, which has more than 325 million subscribers globally, had discontinued its lowest-priced ad-free “Basic” plan in 2023, narrowing its offerings to standard with ads, standard without ads and premium tiers.
Analysts at TD Cowen estimate the changes could raise the company’s average revenue per user in the US-Canada region by around 6 per cent year-on-year in 2026, while for the October-December quarter, Netflix reported revenue of $12.1 billion, marginally exceeding analysts’ expectations.
Earlier this year, the company stepped back from bidding for certain streaming and studio assets of Warner Bros., clearing the way for Paramount Skydance to acquire the Hollywood studio in a deal valued at $110 billion.
The recent price adjustments have been implemented in the United States and select markets including Portugal, Argentina and Canada. In India, however, subscription charges remain unchanged.
Netflix offers monthly plans in India starting at ₹149 for mobile, ₹199 for basic, ₹499 for standard, and ₹649 for premium.
The standard plan enables viewing on two devices simultaneously with 1080p resolution and allows downloads on two supported devices. The premium plan permits streaming on up to four devices at the same time, supports 4K (Ultra HD) and HDR quality, enables downloads on six devices and includes spatial audio support.
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Five held with hydroponic weed worth Rs 8 crore at Goa airport
Panaji, Mar 27 (PTI): The Goa Customs have arrested five passengers with 23.8 kg of hydroponic weed worth more than Rs 8 crore at the Manohar International Airport (MIA), officials said on Friday.
The Air Intelligence Unit (AIU) intercepted passengers who arrived from Bangkok (Thailand) and Abu Dhabi via Muscat on Wednesday, Customs Commissioner Sunil B Deshmukh said.
He said that the AIU seized 23.8 kg of the contraband concealed inside food packets in the passengers' checked-in baggage.
The substance was found to be hydroponic weed after testing, and the passengers were arrested under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, 1985, the official said in a statement.
The seized contraband is worth more than Rs 8 crore in the black market, he said, adding that a probe is underway in the case.
