Apple raises prices on most of its subscription services, some by more than 40%

[Shawn Knight]

Editor's take: Apple has increased the prices on several of its subscription services in the US and elsewhere in a straightforward attempt to generate more revenue. A few bucks more per month isn't going to break the bank for most but percentage wise, the price increases are significant. Worse yet, they come at a time when the cost of virtually everything is on the rise. Increasingly, end users are going to start taking a closer look at their subscriptions and trimming some of the fat.

From today, Apple Arcade will set you back $6.99 per month after a free one-month trial. That's a 40 percent increase from the previous monthly rate of $4.99. Apple News+, meanwhile, is now $12.99 after a 30 percent bump from $9.99 a month. Apple TV+ is going up, too, from $6.99 a month to $9.99 – a 43 percent increase.

The Apple TV+ price hike is the second in as many years as the streaming service originally debuted at $4.99 before jumping to $6.99 a month in October 2022.

Apple One, Cupertino's tiered bundle of subscriptions, is now more expensive as well. An individual plan, which includes access to Apple TV+, Apple Music, Apple Arcade, and 50 GB of iCloud storage, now goes for $19.95 per month, up about 17.5 percent from the previous rate of $16.95.

Family and Premier plans are not exempt from the price hikes, either. The top-end package now commands a lofty $37.95 per month, while the family plan has been bumped up to $25.95 a month.

Apple Music and Apple Fitness+ managed to avoid a higher price point for the time being.

Just last week, Netflix again increased the cost of its basic and premium plans in major markets including the US, the UK, and France. The basic plan now goes for $11.99 a month in markets where it is still offered, while the premium tier went from $19.99 to $22.99 a month. In the US, the most affordable Netflix plan is the standard with ads package for $6.99 a month.

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https://www.techspot.com/news/100619-apple-raises-prices-most-subscription-services-more-than.html

 

[Kashim]

Is this really news? Are the people paying $2000+ for new iPhones every year really going to care if Apple charges them $6.99 a month instead of $4.99 for their streaming?

 

[WhoCaresAnymore]

From a fanboi. I'm so done with Apple, well, most any subscription services.

 

[Prrredictable]

From a fanboi. I'm so done with Apple, well, most any subscription services.

I'm with ya. I've had the Apple TV subscription since it launched. They have produced a couple of pretty good movies, but that's about it. "See" was the only series I've liked at all and it's ended now. Beyond that there really just isn't much on the service to even watch. I just kept it around because it was so cheap, but I'll cancel it this evening.

 

[FaTaL]

Is this really news? Are the people paying $2000+ for new iPhones every year really going to care if Apple charges them $6.99 a month instead of $4.99 for their streaming?

The goal is to capture the idots who subscribe and forget.

 

[yukka]

Is this really news? Are the people paying $2000+ for new iPhones every year really going to care if Apple charges them $6.99 a month instead of $4.99 for their streaming?

Nice sweeping generalisation there

I bought an iPhone new for £650 nearly 3 years and and subscribe to apple one premier. It was £32.95 but now it’s £36.95. Price rises are news.

 

[Mr Majestyk]

LOL how naive are you guys. Those introductory prices were always a way to hook the sheep. Give them prices too low to refuse and once there on the hook you can keep raising them as much as you like.

So glad I'm not on any of these, and once Netflix announces price rises for my region then I'm done.

It's funny how the consumer is supposed to tighten their belts and being at the bottom of the food chain are just supposed to absorb all the price rises, but business just keeps operating as normal. Screw them all.

 

[Kam7r]

Well it's apple... the sheeps will happily pay more anyway

 

[WhoCaresAnymore]

Well it's apple... the sheeps will happily pay more anyway

No, I think even those of us who are in the herd, are starting to walk other ways. I got my first Samsung phone (Amazon Refurbished S22), cheap, and I love it. Totally shocked. Samsung got it right with their security and the simplified interface.

My AW Ultra sits in the charger while I'm wearing my Galaxy Watch 6. It's nice. Traded in an old AW 6 and got the new GW6 for only 200 bucks. Beats the 700 for an AW Cellular. the GW6 is cellular as well.

The sheep are getting tired of it!

 

[Uncle Al]

Dumped Apple years ago and never looked back. Just an over priced novelty for those with more money than brains .....

 

[RudyBob]

You need this

 

[Prrredictable]

LOL how naive are you guys. Those introductory prices were always a way to hook the sheep. Give them prices too low to refuse and once there on the hook you can keep raising them as much as you like.

So glad I'm not on any of these, and once Netflix announces price rises for my region then I'm done.

It's funny how the consumer is supposed to tighten their belts and being at the bottom of the food chain are just supposed to absorb all the price rises, but business just keeps operating as normal. Screw them all.

I'm not really sure how any of this makes us naive. Perhaps if we believed the price would always be $4.99, but I haven't seen anyone make that suggestion. In fact, in my case, that's exactly the opposite of what I was suggesting. It was fine at $4.99...and even at the slightly increased price. But at this new price, I said don't see the value.

 

[Gezzer]

While I've never subbed to Apple+ for many reasons, but mostly because I don't like the company, I am starting to get a bit tired of the profit motive becoming the only thing these streaming services care about. Especially from companies that make enormous yearly profits while doing everything they can to dodge paying their taxes. Looking at you Disney. I'm starting to consider bringing my eye patch out of retirement. Yo, ho, ho, and a full HDD, it's a pirate life for me.

 

[Loadedaxe]

All of you also complaining about food and gas prices too? Or are you going to vote another Dem in?

/s

Its a few bucks, get over it and stop bitching about minute ****. Lets focus on the bigger problem. There is a forest out there, not just a few trees.

All you Apple haters are not going to make Apple users switch sides, you just look immature.

 

[Loadedaxe]

No, I think even those of us who are in the herd, are starting to walk other ways. I got my first Samsung phone (Amazon Refurbished S22), cheap, and I love it. Totally shocked. Samsung got it right with their security and the simplified interface.

My AW Ultra sits in the charger while I'm wearing my Galaxy Watch 6. It's nice. Traded in an old AW 6 and got the new GW6 for only 200 bucks. Beats the 700 for an AW Cellular. the GW6 is cellular as well.

The sheep are getting tired of it!

I call BS, post a image with a piece of paper with your user name next to all of these apple devices you dont use and then one of all your Android ones.

If it is true your not a smart consumer

 

[WhoCaresAnymore]

I call BS, post a image with a piece of paper with your user name next to all of these apple devices you dont use and then one of all your Android ones.

If it is true your not a smart consumer

If I have the expendable money after expenses and investments, I can purchase whatever I wish.

 

[captaincranky]

If it is true your not a smart consumer

Sometimes all statements can be true. For example, @TheRealSCDC may not be a "smart consumer". (I have no opinion one way or the other)

Similarly, it's true that > you're < not very good at written English.

Oddly enough, basic human nature often compares directly to corporate behavior. For example, Apple is already a trillion dollar company. Basic human greed dictates that they won't truly be "happy", until they're < (note the spelling), a two trillion company. Will they be happy then? I highly doubt it.

All of you also complaining about food and gas prices too? Or are you going to vote another Dem in?

(Just remember you started this) Up to that (your) point the thread was apolitical. But since you brought it up, If I had the means, I'd travel the country, committing "voter fraud", in order cast my vote for "prominent Republicans" like Lauren Boebert. After all, why shouldn't she be free to attend a children's movie with an AR-15 and whack off her boyfriend while she's at it? Or maybe just a "day trip" to NYC, to vote for "George Santos". (Assuming he's going to use the same name next election cycle).I could go on, but I won't for the sake of exhibiting some sense of restraint and good judgment.

BTW, Donald Trump MAGA #45, arranged for OPEC to cut oil production during his term in office. Then, after the "fake" pandemic, US companies raised prices astronomically, and their corresponding profits escalated almost exponentially, apparently, just so the uninformed could blame it on Joe Biden.

As for "Apple hating", it's almost a tradition here. So is hating Intel, and complaining about VGA prices. In fact, that's almost the sole purpose of these forums, to complain about everything, while refuting whatever the author of any particular article had to say.

I've been, (some would say "malingered"), here for 18 years. Still, the novelty of greeting new members has never worn off. I must have a streak of masochism in me. But then again, why shouldn't I enjoy being talked down to by noobs, while listening to their invalid and uninformed opinions, on just about every subject under the sun.

With those thoughts and good wishes in mind, "Welcome to Techspot".

 

[WhoCaresAnymore]

As for "Apple hating", it's almost a tradition here. So is hating Intel, and complaining about VGA prices. In fact, that's almost the sole purpose of these forums, to complain about everything, while refuting whatever the author of any particular article had to say.

A well written summation of these forums.

 

[manowar51]

My pay for the same job has literally doubled over the last year. So to me, the subscriptions are cheaper. Graphics cards are way cheaper. I just bought an iphone 15 for the same as they cost a couple of years ago so to me that's also cheaper. Inflation in Washington state is beyond ridiculous, the labour shortage combined with rampant normal inflation is seeing salaries go up by the month! Although gas prices are down right now which is nice. And im still only paying 8 cents a unit for energy.