Netflix plans to offer cheaper ad-supported subscription tiers

Netflix might offer cheaper ad-supported plans in the coming years. In the company’s most recent earnings call, co-CEO Reed Hastings has revealed that the streaming giant is currently working on the offering and that it will be finalizing details for those plans “over the next year or two.” Hastings said he finds ads complex and he’s a huge fan of the simplicity of subscriptions, but giving consumers who don’t mind watching ads the option to pay less “makes a lot of sense.”

And it could make a lot of sense for the company, too. The service lost around 200,000 subscribers in the first quarter of 2022, a development it blamed on stiffer competition, inability to expand in some territories due to technological limitations and account sharing. Apparently, 222 million households are paying for Netflix, but over 100 million more are sharing those accounts. 

Back in March, Netflix started testing a feature in Chile, Costa Rica and Peru that allowed subscribers to add two “sub-members,” who’ll get their own log-ins and profiles, for $3. It may just be a fraction of what a full membership costs, but at least Netflix is getting something from people who’d normally just borrow their friends’ accounts.

Hastings clarified during the call that the ad-supported memberships will be added as tiers and members who don’t mind paying full subscription fees don’t have to be subjected to advertisements. “It is pretty clear that it is working for Hulu, Disney is doing it, HBO did it. We don’t have any doubt that it works,” he said. The executive also added that Netflix will merely be a publisher and that it will not track user data to match ads like some of its competitors do.

《魔獸世界》新資料片《巨龍崛起》不意外地以龍為主角

已上線營運近 20 年之久的網遊《魔獸世界》，稍早公開了第九個資料片《巨龍堀起》。不意外地，《巨龍堀起》將帶來龍族們故鄉的新地圖「巨龍群島」，故事也會圍繞著過去幾個資料片都被丟在一邊的巨龍們展開。…

Cre8Audio’s NiftyKeys is a MIDI controller you can build a Eurorack synth in

Cre8Audio made a splash a few years ago when it launched the NiftyCase in 2019, a Eurorack case that featured a surprising amount of convenient features for a stunningly low price. Seriously, $200 for an 84hp Eurorack case with a power supply, MIDI to CV converter, MIDI over USB capabilities and audio connections is kind of bonkers. Now the company is going a little more upmarket, targeting a niche within a niche, with the NiftyKeys.

NiftyKeys is a full-sized 49-key MIDI keyboard with a 112hp Eurorack case mounted on top. Now, at $600 it’s a decent investment, especially considering you still have to fill it up with modules. But the only comparable product I can think of is the now discontinued Waldorf kb37 which retailed for $999 and was smaller and less feature packed than the NiftyKeys. Which means, it’s actually something of a bargain? 

There are four paired CV pitch and gate outs across the top which means you can patch up a four-voice polyphonic synth, or four separate monophonic patches playable split across different zones of the keyboard, or a pair of duophonic patches, or… you get the idea. There’s also CV outs for aftertouch, velocity, modwheel, expression or the clock-synced LFO. There’s an internal clock, but the whole rig can also be clocked externally, even over MIDI. There’s five-pin MIDI In and Out/Through, plus MIDI over USB. Plus the keyboard itself has an auto-chord feature, a multi-mode arpeggiator, glide and swing control. 

Netflix isn’t blaming the pandemic recovery for its lost subscribers

Netflix may have benefitted from the COVID-19 pandemic, but it’s not blaming its latest troubles on people leaving their homes. The company has revealed that it lost about 200,000 subscribers in the first quarter of 2022, a sharp contrast from the millions of additions per quarter over the past year. However, the streaming giant said that the pandemic only “obscured the picture” — there were multiple problems hiding under the surface.

The company pointed to stiffer competition from online services like Disney+ and Prime Video. While Netflix has still been gaining share at a modest rate, it wants to grow “faster.” The firm also blamed limited room to expand in many countries due to both technology factors outside of its control (such as smart TV adoption and data prices) and the abundance of account sharing. There are more than 222 million paying households, Netflix said, but another 100 million-plus sharing those accounts.

The decision to halt service in Russia also helped swing Netflix from growth to a loss. It would have added 500,000 customers, but ultimately lost 700,000 after dropping its Russian base in response to the invasion of Ukraine. Growth was still “soft” across all regions, however.

Netflix outlined multiple efforts to turn things around. It hoped to improve the quality of its shows, profit from sharing (such as an option for paid sharing in Latin America) and produce more content to suit audiences outside the US, where growth was stronger.

These results might not pay off in the short term. Netflix still expects either mild growth (no more than 1.5 million new members) or a loss (up to 2 million) in the ongoing second quarter. With that said, Netflix is clearly under no illusion that mobile games and minor feature additions will be enough to spark renewed interest by themselves — its fundamentals need to improve if it’s going to fend off rivals.

Nitecore’s new Sony camera battery charges through built-in USB-C

Every year, companies like Canon and Nikon push camera technology forward with new models that add features like 8K video recording and 30 fps shooting speeds. But the batteries powering those cameras haven’t changed nearly as much during the mirrorles…

‘Crossfire: Legion’ will hit Steam early access on May 24th

Real-time strategy game Crossfire: Legion will soon be available on Steam in early access. You’ll be able to get your hands on Blackbird Interactive’s latest Starcraft-esque title starting on May 24th.

It’s based on the CrossFire tactical shooter series, which is immensely popular in Asia. The original game has more than a billion registered players, according to developer Smilegate. The most recent title, CrossfireX, was released on Xbox consoles earlier this year.

The early access build of Crossfire: Legion will include the entire first act of the campaign. You can also expect co-op as well as multiplayer modes with leaderboards. Players will take command of an army from one of three factions: Black List, Global Risk and New Horizon. You’ll duke it out with rivals across a range of environments and terrains.

Blackbird has a strong track record, with the likes of Minecraft Earth and Hardspace: Shipbreaker under its belt. The studio is also working on Homeworld 3. Given both Blackbird’s reputation and CrossFire’s overall popularity, Crossfire: Legion has the potential to be a big hit.