pricing
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Netflix’s pricier ‘Ultra’ tier is inevitable
Netflix took Hollywood by storm with insights on customer data, bold decisions and a blank checkbook. But if the streaming service is going to spend as much as it does, it's either going to have to significantly grow its audience or find a way of making more money out of its existing customers. One way might be to get users to pay an additional €3 ($3.50) each month in order to view the streaming service's growing library of HDR content.
Volvo's Polestar 1 luxury hybrid will cost $155,000
At the Geneva Motor Show last month, Volvo flaunted its long-range plug-in hybrid Polestar 1, which can pull with 600 horsepower thanks to its two electric motors and a 2.0 liter turbo engine. The final price on such a beast has just been revealed at Auto China 2018 in Beijing: $155,000 in the US, €155,000 in Europe and 1.45 million RMB in China.
US appeals court says Tinder Plus pricing is discriminatory
They say all's fair in love and war, but those that have used Tinder will probably disagree. And that includes Allan Candelore, a man suing the dating app over the pricing of its premium service, Tinder Plus. Candelore and his lawyers argue that charging $9.99 a month to users under 30, and $19.99 a month to those over 30, is age discrimination, and violates two California laws: the Unruh Civil Rights Act and the Unfair Competition Law.
Tesla electric Semi's price is surprisingly competitive
When Tesla unveiled its Semi electric truck last week, everyone agreed that it looked cool, but some actual truckers weren't necessarily sold on its functionality. Most observers will be impressed with the pricing if it holds, though. Tesla has listed estimated price on its Semi website for the 300- and 500-mile versions of $150,000 and $180,000 respectively, less than some pundits predicted. The fancier Founders Series, with the top specs, will cost $200,000.
Apple's iPhone 8 and 8 Plus start from £699 in the UK
The iPhone X might have been Apple's banner handset announcement, but that doesn't mean the numerical launches are any less important. The new iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus, showcased today, are sturdier, come with a new A11 Bionic processor (which is 25 percent faster than the A10 chip), sport upgraded Retina HD displays, utilise improved dual camera sensors that work better in low light and support a new shooting mode: Portrait Lighting. It took a while, but the new iPhones also support wireless charging. Apple's been careful to support the Qi standard, so if you're switching from an Android device, you might already own the necessary hardware. When the new handsets go up for pre-order on September 15th there will only be two variants: 64GB and 256GB. The iPhone 8 will set you back £699 and £849, while the iPhone 8 plus will be sold for £799 and £949 respectively. That's a significant markup on the £599 you might have paid for the iPhone 7. As is standard for Apple device launches, the iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus will officially launch a week later, meaning you could have one in your hand as soon as September 22nd.
Apple won't charge extra for 4K movies, upgrades 1080p flicks for free
Now that there's a 4K, HDR-ready Apple TV, the company is pushing content that takes advantage of those capabilities (remember the updates to 720p or 1080p?). Eddy Cue just announced on stage that not only will 4K movies cost the same amount as 1080p flicks on iTunes, the company is also upgrading existing HD purchases to 4K for free (Update: Unless they're from Disney, as it's the only major studio the company doesn't have a deal with yet). So far, buying 4K movies on disc or digital service like Vudu has included a price premium of $10 or more but it appears Apple won that battle, and anyone tapped out after buying a new TV and $179 box will appreciate it.
Sony's $300 Ultra HD Blu-ray player will arrive in March
Last month we got our first look at 2017's best electronics, in the next few months some of them will start hitting shelves, and in between, we're getting pricing information. Sony's taken the wraps off of details for much of its XBR TV lineup (with the exception of that high-end A1E OLED model), which all pack Android TV and Google Assistant for control of other smart home devices and multiroom audio. They're also ready for all kinds of HDR, with support for HDR-10 out of the box, plus Hybrid Log-Gamma (HLG) and Dolby Vision coming later in the year.
Chevy beats Tesla to a sub $30,000 long-range EV
Oregon and California residents can now buy an electric car with an EPA range of 238 miles for under $30,000. Chevy's pricing configurator for its Bolt EV is now online, and as expected, the base LT model with a 10.2-inch touchscreen, Apple CarPlay (or Android Auto) and a rear vision camera costs $37,495, or exactly $29,995 after the $7,500 federal tax credit. If you get the premier model with all the options (including driver assist features) it'll cost $44,950, or $37,450 after US tax credits. As Chevy warned earlier, the DC fast charge option is $750 extra on all models.
Canada will impose a carbon price to fight climate change
Canada will impose a minimum price on carbon emissions, says the country's environment minister Catherine McKenna. The move is designed to push the nation's 10 provinces into properly regulating climate change-causing gases. Reuters reports that McKenna said so on CTV's Question Period, and that more details would be released before the end of October.
Apple Watch Series 2 UK release date and pricing
Apple's iPhone 7 event may be over, but now is the time to unpack everything we've seen. One of the biggest announcements of the evening was the Apple Watch Series 2. At first glance, the second-generation Apple Watch is almost indistinguishable from the first. The companion device is still a familiar square shape, but it's beneath the improved OLED display that the major improvements are to be found. Tucked away inside the water-resistant wearable is a dual-core processor that is 50 percent faster and offers double the graphics capabilities of the original. There's a brighter display, coming in at 1,000 nits, which will make it a lot more usable in direct sunlight. But how much will it cost? You can find pricing for all of the different Series 2 variations and the reduced pricing for Series 1 smartwatches below.
Virgin Media's next price hike will come in November
Virgin Media customers across the UK will today begin receiving letters notifying them of an upcoming price increase. The company says that from November 2016, line rental costs will rise from £17.99 to £19 per month and annual Line Rental Saver plans will set subscribers back £196 instead of the usual £184. Broadband packages and bundles will also rise between £3 and £4 per month.
'Upfront' Uber pricing replaces estimates with guarantees
Soon, when you open up Uber and request a ride you'll see the pricing in a different way. Instead of its current method of displaying the rate (and multiplier, if surge pricing is in effect), with a fare estimate in a second screen, it will just display a guaranteed price to take you to your destination. Of course, that doesn't mean surge pricing is going away, just that it will already be figured in to the price you're quoted (with a "Fares are higher due to increased demand" note.)
TalkTalk to simplify broadband prices by including line rental
Line rental is one of the things you have to consider when taking out a broadband contract, since they almost always come hand in hand. But with these two separate monthly fees, one-off setup charges and introductory discounts, you need ten minutes and a calculator to figure out exactly what you're being asked to pay. TalkTalk has pledged today, however, that this autumn it's going to make everything that bit simpler, by bundling line rental and broadband costs into one, transparent monthly price for all of its packages.
HTC's new flagship phone will cost $100 more after launch in the US
If the $399 pricing of HTC's new flagship phone, the One A9, sounds like a sweet deal, you may want to reserve a unit right now. Turns out it's just a "special promotional pre-sale" for the online store and select retail outlets in the US, a company spokesperson told Engadget, which will soon be over. The electronics maker failed to mention that in the past, so now you only have a few days to decide whether you want to purchase the One A9 at its current price. Starting on November 7th at 12:01 AM, htc.com will be selling the phone for $499.
Verizon increases the price of unlimited data plans by $20 a month
If you're still on a grandfathered unlimited data plan with Verizon, your bill is about to go up. On November 15th, the carrier confirmed to Engadget that it'll increase rates for those customers by $20 a month. The company says that less than one percent of its customers fall into the category of still having the old unlimited plan and aren't currently under contract. Verizon also says that any user currently under contract with unlimited data will not see the price hike until their agreement is up for renewal. This follows Sprint's recent announcement about an upcoming rate increase. Of course, new customers aren't privy to an unlimited plan on Verizon, as Sprint and T-Mobile are your only two options for that at $70 and $80 per month, respectively. As you might expect, the red-hued carrier is quick to remind that if you don't need all of that data, you could save money by opting for a Verizon monthly plan with a data cap under the current pricing scheme (as this editor can attest). And you're certainly going to see some savings when the new rate kicks in. The company's full statement on the matter resides after the break. [Image credit: AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh]
Samsung's Gear S2 smartwatch arrives in the US October 2nd
After a number of teases, Samsung finally revealed its Tizen-driven Gear S2 smartwatch earlier this month at IFA. If you've been champing at the bit to purchase one, you'll soon have the chance to do so. The wearable goes on sale this Friday, October 2nd in the US. When it does, you can expect to nab one from Amazon, Best Buy and Macy's in addition to Samsung's own online store. If you're in need of a refresher, there's two models to choose from, the Gear S2 and the Gear S2 Classic, which are priced at $300 and $350, respectively. The difference? The Classic sports a classier look in a smaller size with a black leather strap and a bit more detail around that rotating bezel. If you're willing to hold out for the 3G version, it's set to arrive "later this fall" on AT&T, T-Mobile and Verizon.
Google Play Music family plan gives six people tunes for $15 a month
Family pricing has been all the rage when it comes to music-streaming services. After the likes of Rdio, Spotify, Tidal and Apple Music announced reduced rates for you and your family, Google has a family plan of its own for Play Music. Mountain View is offering access to its library of tunes for up to six people for $15 a month. That's exactly what Apple offers, and it's a much better deal than Rdio and Spotify, which only allow two people to stream for that price. With Play Music, each member of the crew will be able to listen on any device and the app will serve up recommendations that are tailored to each user. Google says it's still "putting the finishing touches" on the family sharing, and it plans to roll it out later this year. Get all the news from today's Google event right here.
Uber study finds that Uber surge pricing is Uber good
Unless, of course, you're the one paying for it.
UK pricing for the iPhone 6s duo, iPad Pro and Apple TV
Apple announced a bunch of new products today, including the iPhone 6s and 6s Plus, new Apple Watch finishes and bands, a monster iPad Pro and a revamped Apple TV with Siri, universal search and games. Whether you're interested in some, or all of the company's new wares, we've got all available UK pricing right here.
Sony Xperia Z5 UK pricing: that 4K display will cost you £699
With its mobile division not enjoying much success over the past couple of years, Sony knew it needed to wow consumers with its latest round of Xperia smartphones. Yesterday, the company hoped to do exactly that by unveiling the Xperia Z5, Xperia Z5 Compact and the Xperia Z5 Premium, the last of which being the world's first 4K smartphone. So far, the only hint we've been given regarding pricing is that it "will reflect the premium quality" of the Xperia range, but today the Japanese phone maker has lifted the lid on what that pixel-rich screen will cost when it hits the UK.
