Netflix to Begin Charging More for 4K Streaming
Netflix, one of the first companies to jump headfirst into 4K/UHD distribution, is going to begin charging more for users who choose that plan.
Here is HD Guru on the new pricing:
The Netflix spokesperson contacted via email confirmed that new subscribers, or current subscribers with newly purchased 4K UHD TVs, now will have to pay $11.99 to receive 4K streaming content. This is a $4 increase for HD users that signed on prior to May 9th, 2014.
Current subscribers already paying for 4K content (prior to August 12th) will be grandfathered into the older $7.99 a month plan until August 12th, 2016 according to a Netflix customer service representative. The new 4K plan also permits up to 4 devices to play simultaneously.
They are pushing hard to be the first major company to get 4K/UHD into the mainstream, but obviously this comes at a price, and with the ISP deals they've made regarding bandwidth, it's really not all that surprising that costs have gone up. One of the major positives though, besides the 4K if you have a TV that can take advantage of it, is the fact that you'll get up to four devices streaming at once on one account. With more families sharing Netflix accounts, this may be enticing enough to move to the more expensive plan.
While 4K is coming sooner or later, consumers won't necessarily be all that excited to pay more for it, so that will be an obstacle those pushing the format will have to face.
