The digital streaming landscape is changing once again, and Paramount+ is the latest platform to evolve its offerings in an effort to stay competitive.
With a recent announcement, Paramount+ has unveiled its new premium and ad tier subscriptions, which are set to roll out in several international markets.
The premium tier is scheduled to launch in mid-November Australia, Brazil, CanadaAnd Mexicowhile the ad-supported tier is set to debut in 2024 in select markets (see full details below).
The move naturally sparked public interest in the UK, sparking discussions about when or if these new levels would make their trip to British shores.
Amid a broader trend in the industry, this development reflects recent strategic shifts at streaming giants like Netflix, Disney+ and Amazon’s Prime Video, as they navigate the waters of ad-based models and price adjustments.
Here’s everything we know at this point.
Paramount+ in the UK: The road so far
Since entering the UK market, Paramount+ has carved out a niche With its mix of original programming, blockbuster movies and an extensive library of premium shows that span across genres.
The platform hosts content from notable production studios and brands including CBS, Comedy Central, MTV, Nickelodeon, Paramount Pictures and SHOWTIME.
within Treasure contenta series of Taylor Sheridan The universe is like Special Ops: Lioness, Tulsa KingAnd Yellowstone It gained a large viewer base.
not to mention Star Trek Franchise, which is still a formidable tie with the recent final season of Star Trek: PicardAnd Star Trek: Strange New Worlds.
Paramount + UK costs £6.99 per month – Or £69.90 per year (i.e. £5.82 per month) if you pay for a full year up front.
Notably, the price of Paramount+ has not changed Since the launch of the service in the UK (15 months ago) With international changes coming, the question looms – are we heading towards price changes in the UK?
Advertisements and 4K are coming to Paramount+ globally
The unveiling of ad-supported premium tier subscriptions by Paramount+ this week represents a big step in catering to diverse consumer preferences.
Premium PlanIt is scheduled to be released in Australia, Brazil, Canada and Mexico November 16designed to provide a high-quality viewing experience.
The Premium plan will support 4K UHD, as well as HDR10, and Dolby Vision for HDR (although, as is often the case with streaming services, only some content will be in 4K).
Furthermore, offering four simultaneous streams, instead of the two offered in the standard plan, is a deliberate move to appeal to family audiences, ensuring that multiple members can immerse themselves in their favorite content simultaneously.
Pricing for the Premium plan varies according to the recent announcement across regions: in Australia, it’s $13.99 per month and $124.99 per year.
In Brazil, the cost is R$ 34.90 per month and R$ 309.90 per year. In Canada it is $13.99 CAD per month and $124.99 CAD per year. In Mexico, it is 179 Mexican pesos per month and 1,609 Mexican pesos per year.
If we were to extrapolate a likely pricing structure for the UK based on these numbers and current exchange rates, a rough estimate could put the monthly subscription at around £10 to £12, and the annual subscription somewhere between £110 to £130 for the premium tier .
However, these are of course speculative numbers.
The ad-supported tier, which is set to debut in select international markets in 2024 (starting with Australia and Canada), offers an ad-supported model, aiming to balance subscription revenue with ad revenue.
As we’ve seen in the past (with Netflix and Disney+, for example – see more on that below), streaming services that bring changes in some countries, end up bringing those changes to the UK too.
Marco Nobili“After expanding our footprint to more than 45 markets last year, we are focused on expanding our business and providing choices to customers,” said Paramount+ Executive Vice President and General Manager International.
“Offering premium, ad-supported plans will give us the ability to better serve different consumer segments by offering multiple pricing options while also leveraging the tremendous opportunities between our advertising partners and brands.”
In the US, Paramount+ has already launched an ad-supported tier in 2021, which however does not include 4K streaming, a feature reserved for premium subscribers (now known as Paramount+ Showtime in the US).
Ad-supported tiers: The growing streaming trend
The shift towards ad-supported tiers among streaming platforms is becoming more evident as they strive for a balanced revenue model – and the UK is certainly part of this trend.
Netflix: In an important step, Netflix recently Its basic level has been phased out In both the United Kingdom and the United States, making Ad-supported tier The default ‘budget friendly’ option is priced at £4.99 per month.
Amazon Last month, it officially announced that starting in 2024, Amazon Prime Video will launch It will display limited ads For its UK audience – and those who want to watch without ads will have to pay an additional fee.
Finally, there’s a notable shift also coming from Disney+, which is set To offer an ad-supported layer In the United Kingdom it begins November 1.
A new ad-supported tier called “Standard with Ads” in £4.99 per month will be introduced, providing a more budget-friendly option with periodic advertising.
In addition, there is a “Standard without ads” category. £7.99 per month It will be launched – which does not support 4K. The existing subscription we all know and love at the moment will move to the “premium” category at a price £10.99 per month.
The adoption of ad-supported tiers by major streaming platforms like Disney+ and Netflix signals a notable shift in the industry’s revenue model.
As streaming services continue to search for the perfect balance between subscription and advertising revenue, consumers will benefit from a wider range of viewing options.
However – with the emergence of many paid streaming services, and with prices rising – are customers willing to pay for the service – and then get it through advertising?
Paramount+ looks to be the next streaming service to test this idea in the UK – although we’ll have to wait and see if these new tiers actually make their way to our side of the pond.