The last 10 years have seen some major changes. From the rise of digital media to online shopping trends, women running businesses & streaming content, a lot has changed indeed. Thanks to the 2020’s pandemic situation, streaming services, and their subscription have witnessed major changes. From Hulu to Disney Plus to Netflix & HBO Now, millions and millions of people are staying at home instead of going outside and have stuck to the concept of enjoying themselves at home. Here’s a quick understanding of that.
How did the switch happen?
When Netflix became a big deal back in the 2nd half of 2020, several households and families canceled their usual cable subscriptions and switched to online streaming. Since satellite and cable prices went from 50 dollars to 100 dollars per month, many of the consumers thought that paying 10 dollars for a Netflix subscription is actually quite cheap.
Soon, Netflix’s popularity started to take off and the entire existence of television was begging question. Just one year after Netflix began streaming, Hulu made its entry and began offering the freshest and most recently aired content. At the same time, Amazon Prime Video also started affordable memberships so that people can watch 1000s of TV shows and movies.
Even though Prime, Hulu, and Netflix have done extremely well even for a decade, the pandemic allowed these 3 services to boost their membership bases and emerge as streaming giants in the world of entertainment.
What went down in the race?
In the first couple of months of 2020, Netflix received more than double its expected number of subscribers for the year, adding more than 15 million subscribers. Disney +, which had also launched somewhere in the 1st couple lockdown months. With so many people stuck at home, streaming services began to receive paramount importance. So when states lifted all the lockdown orders, life did not go back to normal right then and there. More than 90% of homes reported their kids are engaging in some kind of distance learning while a lot of them are working from home, either part or full time. Studies have also declared that many adults working from home watch television even when they are working.
The costs began soaring too at some point
With streaming services gaining immense popularity, many people felt forced to buy subscriptions. From Disney to Amazon Prime, each of these brands became immensely popular. As states began to lift their pandemic restrictions, a lot of people also began questioning the longevity of services.
Other companies that have also built this circuit for decades have enough content to stream within their own platforms. Paramount also owns the content streamed on HBO Max and Nickelodeon that shows hundreds of movies and shows.
Even though streaming is seen as convenient and affordable compared to satellite and cable TV, many streaming services also skyrocketed monthly costs of entertainment. Netflix went from 9 to 17 dollars, Hulu which happens to be a cheap option charges 6 dollars a month, and discovery+ is now at 5 dollars every month.
What is the solution to such soaring costs?
Amazon offers you an excellent firestick that lets you enjoy your favorite TV shows at leisure while saving some money simultaneously. If you have Wi-Fi in your apartment, it will allow you to watch TV shows and movies without subscribing to channels like HBO, Showtime, Starz, and many others too. It will also deflate cable bill costs.
With just 100 dollars per year, you could also join Amazon Prime and get easy access to some of the premium channel offers as well. Here’s a quick look at how you can save money by reading the guide on firestick.
How can you use fire sticks?
To use fire sticks properly, you need to download the app first. Such apps are like television channels, except you could watch such content at any given time you want. Some of the apps also want you to share free, while some need you to pay a subscription fee.
There are various apps that require subscription fees like Hulu, Netflix, Disney+, and lots more. You may also want to watch blockbuster movies or ones that are highly rated shows like Tubi, Crackle, IMDB tv, or other free apps that don’t need any subscriptions.
If you’d like to cut cords on the satellite or cable, you could also watch some sports and TV with subscriptions like YouTube, Sling, Hulu, and loads more. You could also stream such services as Apple Music, iHeartRadio, Pandora, etc.
How much does a firestick cost?
A fire stick usually costs 30 dollars, but it won’t come with any power button or even any volume controls. The HD at the moment costs 40 dollars and lets you stream at least 1080p high-definition resolution. However, if you want to stream using 4K Ultra HD, you could also get expensive sticks which are currently priced at 50 dollars.
However, firesticks won’t cost you any monthly fees. You might need to pay for this device on your own. But if you have some apps that come with their own subscription cost, then you might have to pay monthly fees for them.
Conclusion
Such streaming services are proof of what we knew right from the start: none of them are outstanding subscriptions of their own. Netflix was considered the best platform in its early days because of its excellent consolidation of movies and shows from the circuit of the media. With very few media companies partnering, we end up paying not more than 10 dollars every month for streaming services. In the latest studies conducted, most people say they are overwhelmed because of content streaming services. Before the pandemic situation, the canceling rate was approximately 20%. A lot of families have cut down on these streaming services. But with firesticks, a lot of those problems can be solved. So make sure you purchase one. It’s bound to make your online streaming experience a lot more smooth.
