The Morning After: Netflix's 'Ultra' price test
And Spotify's Drake problem.
Hey, good morning! You look fabulous.
Happy Independence Day if you're in the US! It's just another Wednesday in most other places. Netflix is testing higher prices, some Spotify users don't like Drake and Amazon Prime Day just got added to our calendar.
Calling all students! While you're on a break from that summer job, go ahead and send us some back-to-school gadget questions before you decide how to spend the money you're earning.
Netflix tests 'Ultra' tier that could add a higher-price option
With Netflix adding new original content at a breakneck pace, it only makes sense that another price adjustment is around the corner. The company confirmed tests of an Ultra tier that some European users have seen offered. Nothing's set in stone, yet, but right now the 16.99 Euro option allows for 4K, HDR and up to four streams at once. That means some of those features are pulled from the current lower-priced standard and Premium plans. If this rolls out widely, we'll have to wait and see if existing users who enjoy simultaneous streams and HDR at current rates get grandfathered in.
Spotify users push back after Drake's weekend 'take over'
Last week, Drake smashed the single-day record for total number of album streams on Spotify with the release of his new record Scorpion, but the artist had some help in making that happen. Spotify placed Drake prominently on its playlists, effectively allowing the artist to take over the music service at the weekend. Some premium subscribers went so far as to demand refunds from Spotify for the service's placement of advertisements on accounts that are supposed to be ad-free.
Sony posted a whole movie to YouTube instead of the trailer
Instead of going straight to DVD, Sony's Khali the Killer movie went straight to YouTube in a post that was supposed to only hold a trailer.
Amazon's biggest Prime Day sale starts on July 16th
Why wait for Black Friday? Amazon's transparent mid-year attempt to boost sales is scheduled for July 16th, promising a day and a half of deep discounts that are (possibly) too good to resist. Prime Day kicks off around the world (and for the first time in Australia, Singapore, Netherlands and Luxembourg) on July 16th at 3 PM ET.
With the third chapter in the Shenmue saga delayed yet again until 2019, fans (and newcomers) can keep themselves busy in the meantime with the first two games on their fancy modern consoles and PCs. Sega will release PS4, Xbox One and PS4 versions of the titles on August 21st and dropped off a new trailer for the remastered games just to whet our appetites.
This day in Engadget history: Blockbuster Video tanks in a big way
Eight years ago, good ol' Blockbuster Video hit a new low: Shares of the once-great video store rental chain were trading at 18 cents, and, as a result, it was delisted from the New York Stock Exchange
But wait, there's more...
Nintendo unveils a 'Minecraft' Creeper 2DS XL special edition
US court rules that using online photos can be considered 'fair use'
Cruel pranksters made NYC internet kiosks play ice-cream truck tunes
'Semblance' makes history on the Nintendo Switch on July 24th
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