From optional bundle to all-inclusive this summer
We suspect there are a fair number of Star Trek fans in the Android Police readership, so we’re writing about this move in the streaming wars just to keep you one step ahead. After all, Paramount Global may have made less money this year than last (PDF), but it’s fared pretty well in an adversarial economy with an influx of 9.9 million new subscribers to Paramount+, bringing its total tally to almost 56 million — beating Disney-owned Hulu by 10 million customers. But, as you’d suspect with tightening margins and major growth, the company is looking to capitalize by simultaneously offering more to viewers while asking them to pay more for it.
The company announced during its earnings call (via TechCrunch) that because it would be adding Showtime’s catalog of on-demand content to Paramount+ that it would bump up the price for its Premium tier from $10 per month to $12. The Essential tier, which does not include Showtime content and does include advertising, will move from $5 to $6 per month.
The “Paramount+ with Showtime” integration and associated price hike is set to take place sometime in Q3.
Paramount+ advertises bundled plans with the currently-standalone Showtime streaming service, but both Essential and Premium tiers combined with the single-tier Showtime offering cost $12 per month. Annual plans provide 12 months of access for the price of ten.
The company is warning investors to expect reduced subscriber numbers this quarter as consumers who stream to either service alone, both services separately, or both services through the bundle adjust to the news.
