HiTechEdge

Category: Streaming TV

All news related to streaming TV and cord-cutting.

  • YouTube TV Adds 4K Support…For a Price

    YouTube TV Adds 4K Support…For a Price

    YouTube TV has announced support for 4K video, although it comes at a $20 premium.

    YouTube TV is one of the leading streaming platforms and has become a popular option among cord cutters. The platform has similar pricing ($65 per month at time of writing) as Hulu with Live TV and fuboTV, although it does have some competitive advantages. Chief among them is unlimited DVR space.

    The company is looking to add another major advantage in the form of full 4K content, something that most platforms have only limited support for. The caveat is that YouTube TV will charge more per month for 4K.

    4K Plus will be available at an additional $19.99/month, but right now, new users can get a one-month free trial and then a price of just $9.99/month for one year.

    Customers who upgrade to the 4K plan can also enjoy unlimited simultaneous streams at home, up from the three streams currently allowed. In addition, content can be downloaded to a phone or tablet for on-the-go watching.

    The company is also adding 5.1 Dolby audio for all members.

    Overall, the upgrades are welcome additions and help cement YouTube TV’s position as leader of the streaming pack. Nonetheless, $20 a month is a rather steep price for what are largely unnecessary upgrades.

  • HBO Max Rolls Out in 39 Additional Territories

    HBO Max Rolls Out in 39 Additional Territories

    HBO Max is expanding beyond the US, rolling out in 39 territories in Latin America and the Caribbean.

    HBO Max is AT&T’s streaming service, and has operated exclusively in the US. As more and more customers cut the cord, the streaming service has been a bright spot for AT&T, especially as DirecTV shed subscribers by the millions prior to AT&T spinning it off.

    As the company doubles down on HBO Max, global expansion is a priority, making today’s announcement an important step in that direction.

    “Over our first year since launch, fans in the U.S. have chosen HBO Max as one of their favorite streaming platforms. With today’s launch, we are introducing our global platform and providing a brand new user experience to millions of fans across Latin America and the Caribbean. There couldn’t be a better place to begin our global journey, as WarnerMedia has been a favorite and trusted source for compelling and entertaining content for the whole family,” said Johannes Larcher, Head of HBO Max International.

    HBO Max has committed to producing 100 local originals in Latin America, in addition to providing access to fan-favorite sports and programming.

    “The big day has finally arrived, and we couldn’t be more thrilled. HBO Max launches in our region with an unprecedented offer rewarding our first wave of subscribers and sure to delight our fans by making our collection of movies and TV series more accessible and more affordable than ever before. This past year with its unprecedented health and economic crises has been challenging for our fans from Tijuana to Tierra del Fuego, and so we are thrilled to bring some joy and inspiration to the entire community through this exclusive, once-in-a-lifetime launch offer,” stated Luis Durán, General Manager of HBO Max for Latin America.

  • Amazon Buying MGM for $8.45 Billion

    Amazon Buying MGM for $8.45 Billion

    Following days of speculation and rumor, Amazon has entered an agreement to purchase MGM for $8.45 billion.

    Rumors first broke last week that Amazon was looking to purchase MGM to help boost its content for its Amazon Prime streaming service. Additional details confirmed the likely price was in the $9 billion range.

    The two companies have officially announced they have entered an agreement for Amazon to purchase MGM for $8.45 billion.

    “MGM has a vast catalog with more than 4,000 films—12 Angry Men, Basic Instinct, Creed, James Bond, Legally Blonde, Moonstruck, Poltergeist, Raging Bull, Robocop, Rocky, Silence of the Lambs, Stargate, Thelma & Louise, Tomb Raider, The Magnificent Seven, The Pink Panther, The Thomas Crown Affair, and many other icons—as well as 17,000 TV shows—including Fargo, The Handmaid’s Tale, and Vikings—that have collectively won more than 180 Academy Awards and 100 Emmys,” said Mike Hopkins, Senior Vice President of Prime Video and Amazon Studios. “The real financial value behind this deal is the treasure trove of IP in the deep catalog that we plan to reimagine and develop together with MGM’s talented team. It’s very exciting and provides so many opportunities for high-quality storytelling.”

    “It has been an honor to have been a part of the incredible transformation of Metro Goldwyn Mayer. To get here took immensely talented people with a true belief in one vision. On behalf of the Board, I would like to thank the MGM team who have helped us arrive at this historic day,” said Kevin Ulrich, Chairman of the Board of Directors of MGM. “I am very proud that MGM’s Lion, which has long evoked the Golden Age of Hollywood, will continue its storied history, and the idea born from the creation of United Artists lives on in a way the founders originally intended, driven by the talent and their vision. The opportunity to align MGM’s storied history with Amazon is an inspiring combination.”

    Amazon emphasized its commitment to preserving MGM’s long history of great storytelling, and its intention to help the studio keep doing just that.

  • Vimeo Goes Public

    Vimeo Goes Public

    Vimeo has gone public, with today being its first day as a publicly traded company.

    Vimeo parent IAC announced in December it was spinning the streaming platform off as a fully independent, public company. A month later, Vimeo raised $300 million, bringing its valuation to $5.7 billion, as it prepared to go public.

    The day has finally arrived, with Vimeo now a public company.

    “Today Vimeo was listed as a public company,” CEO Anjali Sud wrote on the company blog. “This has been a 16-year labor of love: sparked by a few inspired minds, nurtured by patient investors, and kindled by over a thousand passionate humans who have built, pivoted, innovated, and scaled. 

    “We’ve gone through a lot of change over the years. But what has never changed is our belief in the power of video. We put creators first, and put the power of professional-quality video in the hands of millions. We built an innovative software platform, a wildly creative community, and a strong and resilient business. I don’t think I’ll ever feel more proud of a group of people as I do today.”

    Sud sees a world of possibilities post-pandemic, including reimagining virtual events. As one of the leading video platforms, and YouTube’s main competitor, Vimeo seems well-positioned for future growth.

  • Amazon Offering $9 Billion for MGM

    Amazon Offering $9 Billion for MGM

    On the heels of news Amazon was in talks to acquire MGM, a new report says the offer on the table is $9 billion.

    Amazon is already one of the leading streaming platforms, thanks to its Prime Video service being bundled with its Amazon Prime package. Nonetheless, the company has enjoyed critical and popular success with shows like Bosch and The Man in the High Castle. Reports emerged yesterday that Amazon was in talks to purchase MGM in an effort to boost its content catalog even more.

    According to a new report by Variety, Amazon is offering $9 billion to make the deal happen. MGM was reportedly looking for a buyer as early as December, but Amazon has emerged as the front-runner among possible suitors.

    MGM has an extremely deep movie catalog, boasting the James Bond franchise, Hobbit, the Rocky/Creed franchise, The Silence of the Lambs, The Magnificent Seven and Four Weddings and a Funeral. It’s TV catalog includes the Stargate franchise, Fargo, Vikings, American Gladiators and more.

    A successful deal would be a major win for Amazon and give it a leg up in the streaming wars.

  • Amazon May Purchase MGM to Boost Its Media Content

    Amazon May Purchase MGM to Boost Its Media Content

    Amazon is considering purchasing MGM in an effort to boost its already impressive TV offerings.

    Amazon Prime is one of the leading TV streaming platforms, with some 200 million subscribers. The platform has an impressive list of original content, including Bosch, The Man in the High Castle, The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel and more.

    According to The Information, via AppleInsider, Amazon is considering acquiring MGM in a bid to further its media library. MGM owns Epix and has a large library of film and TV franchises, such as James Bond, The Handmaid’s Tale, Fargo, Shark Tank and others.

    It is unclear how far along the discussions are, so it’s possible nothing will happen. Should a deal be reached, however, it could give Amazon a significant advantage in an increasingly competitive streaming TV market.

  • AT&T and Discovery Create Joint TV Streaming Company

    AT&T and Discovery Create Joint TV Streaming Company

    AT&T and Discovery are joining forces and creating a new company that will combine their media assets to better compete.

    The streaming market has become a fiercely competitive one, with YouTube TV, Hulu, fuboTV, Sling, Netflix, Amazon, Disney and Apple spending big bucks to gain subscribers and release original content. For smaller players, like Discovery+ and AT&T’s HBO Max, it can be difficult to compete.

    According to The Associated Press, the two companies believe their best option is to combine their media offerings, creating a single company that will open the door to better bundling options. Given the two companies control CNN, Food Network, HGTV, HBO, TBS and TNT, it’s a safe bet subscribers would pay to have a bundle including those channels.

    The new company may even be able to offer complimentary plans that fill in holes in other streaming packages offered by other companies. For example, fuboTV doesn’t carry CNN, TBS or TNT, making an affordable add-on package an attractive option for fuboTV users.

    If the deal is approved, AT&T shareholders would own 71% of the company, as opposed to Discovery’s 29%. It’s believed the combined company would save some $3 billion annually, freeing up more money for original content.

    Provided Discovery shareholders sign off on the deal, it is expected to close the middle of next year.

  • Apple TV+ Hits 40 Million Subscribers

    Apple TV+ Hits 40 Million Subscribers

    Apple TV+ has crossed a major milestone, according to estimates, topping 40 million subscribers.

    Apple TV+ is the company’s take on streaming TV, with a focus on original content. Ted Lasso, The Morning Show and Mythic Quest are some of the biggest TV shows on the platform. Meanwhile, Tom Hanks’ Greyhound was a critically-acclaimed movie that debuted on Apple TV+.

    Despite being a relative newcomer to the streaming market, Apple’s entry is already making some impressive strides, according to Newsweek. Apple TV+ was estimated to have 33.6 million subscribers at the end of 2019 and 40 million by the end of 2020.

    With 40 million subscribers, Apple TV+ comes in ahead of Paramount+ (under 36 million), Peacock (33 million) and Hulu (39.4 million). Apple’s platform is still behind HBO Max and far behind Disney+, Amazon Prime and Netflix.

    In addition, Apple TV+ has obviously benefited from Apple bundling it for free with new purchases of iPhones, iPads and Macs. It remains to be seen if the service maintains its popularity once people have to pay for it.