Cord Cutters: Page 2

Sony's PlayStation Plus price increase is due to take effect tomorrow, May 20, pushing monthly subscriptions from $9.99 to $10.99 and three-month plans from $24.99 to $27.99 across the U.S., UK, and Europe, GamingBolt and BBC reported this week. The annual plan stays flat at $80. Sony cited "ongoing market conditions."

A cheap Fire TV Stick and an Apple TV 4K will both stream in 4K. Both support Dolby Vision. Both respond to voice commands. So when you're looking for the best 4K streaming device and Consumer Reports' five-dimension scoring framework tends to favor premium set-top boxes over cheap sticks, the reason isn't what's happening on the screen. It's everything else.

Netflix began rolling out a redesigned mobile app on April 30, 2026 in nine countries, including the U.S., U.K., Canada, and Australia, built around a new vertical video swipe feed called Clips. Netflix says the redesign is meant to capture more daytime viewing and help members discover titles faster, Variety reported. The company plans to roll out the update to the rest of the world "in the months to come."

Spotify's Prompted Playlist expanded to podcasts last month, and the podcast version puts something front and center that remains less clear on the music side: why each pick landed in your mix. Every episode or chapter in a podcast playlist comes with a short note explaining its connection to your prompt, your listening history, or the moment. The podcast rollout foregrounds those explanatory notes more clearly than the music-side experience Spotify has publicly described, though Spotify's...

Netflix told advertisers Wednesday that its ad business is entering a new phase and for most subscribers on the ad-supported plan, the changes are not what the headlines imply. More ads on Netflix does not mean longer commercial breaks in the middle of Bridgerton. It means more countries, more live-event inventory, new ad surfaces, and smarter targeting. Whether Netflix ads are increasing next year depends almost entirely on what you watch.

Spotify made two video podcast announcements today, and they are not the same announcement. The first is live now: the company has activated its Distribution API for five third-party hosting platforms, giving creators on those platforms direct access to Spotify video distribution and Partner Program revenue without switching hosts. The second is a forward commitment: Spotify for Creators and Megaphone will add Spotify Apple HLS video podcast support later in 2026, built in coordination with...

YouTube TV Customizable Multiview: What's Changing and What's Not

Netflix's ad-supported plan now accounts for 60% of new sign-ups in markets where it's available, and the company expects ad revenue to double to $3 billion this year, according to its Q1 shareholder letter, reported by Adweek last month. That's not a coincidence it's a causal chain. The ad tier is pulling in subscribers; those subscribers generate inventory; that inventory is filling fast.

Walmart's Onn 4K Pro is sold out, and Onn 4K Pro scalpers on eBay and Facebook Marketplace are listing the $60 streaming box for $90 to $100 before shipping, Android Authority reported today. That's a 50 to 67 percent markup. The Pro is marked out of stock on Walmart's product page; the cheaper Onn 4K Stick remains available at $40, per the same report.

YouTube TV Unskippable Ads: What Google Actually Changed

League of Legends KeSPA Cup on Disney+: Global Streaming Deal Explained

Spotify just launched Personal Podcasts, a feature that lets third-party AI agents generate private audio episodes and save them directly to a user's Spotify library for cross-device playback. The episodes appear in Your Library alongside music and public podcasts, but aren't available to other Spotify users.

Switch 2 owners searching for how to watch YouTube on Switch 2 have one documented option right now, and it runs through a free battle royale game. A Reddit user discovered that Super Animal Royale surfaces YouTube clips in a scrolling news feed on its main menu. Select a clip, choose "watch on YouTube," and the console opens an external browser with full YouTube search. Video tops out at 360p, account sign-in isn't available, and the YouTube web interface frequently fails to render correctly.

YouTube TV renewed its carriage agreement with Allen Media Group this week, keeping The Weather Channel and four companion networks on the platform without a single day of interruption, Android Authority reported. The YouTube TV Allen Media Group deal drew almost no public attention. That quiet outcome looks small. It isn't, if you remember how much noise the Disney blackout made six months ago.

The same YouTube symptoms can come from three different bugs. A frozen spinner, a black screen, a "Content no longer available" error, any of these could point to a timing race in WebKit's codec pipeline, a blocked-request loop in Brave, or a rendering failure in Zen Browser. The surface looks identical. The causes are not, and neither are the fixes.

The Fire TV Stick 4K Plus and 4K Max are the last Amazon streaming sticks that let you install apps from outside the official store. Starting with the Fire TV Stick 4K Select, all future Fire TV Sticks run Amazon Fire TV Vega OS, a Linux-based system built entirely in-house, and the shift comes with a smaller app library, no practical sideloading, and a platform engineered around Amazon's priorities rather than yours. AFTVnews confirmed two weeks ago that Amazon still describes Vega as the...

Netflix today pushed a redesigned mobile app to iPhone users in nine countries, with a new vertical video feed called Clips at its center. The update is Netflix's most significant mobile overhaul in years, built to turn the frustrating "what should I watch?" moment into a swipeable discovery experience rather than a chore. For iPhone users in the launch markets, the Netflix iPhone app redesign is live now.

YouTube is rolling out free picture-in-picture to non-paying users on Android and iOS worldwide, ending a policy that had kept the feature either U.S.-only or locked behind a Premium subscription in every other market. The rollout is live now, with full global availability expected over the coming months, 9to5Google reported today.

The streaming hardware landscape just got a little more interesting with some behind-the-scenes revelations from Sonos. The company's CEO recently opened up about a significant strategic decision that could have reshaped how we think about premium streaming devices and the competitive dynamics with Apple's ecosystem.

Cricket fans worldwide are gearing up for what promises to be an electrifying showdown between two cricketing powerhouses. The T20 Cricket World Cup 2026 Final featuring India versus New Zealand represents more than just a match—it's a clash of strategies, skills, and national pride that will captivate millions of viewers globally. With streaming technology evolving rapidly and cord-cutting becoming the norm, watching this epic finale has never been more accessible, regardless of your location...

The question is not hypothetical in the abstract. Streaming consolidation has followed a recognizable pattern across the past decade, and a merger between Warner Bros. Discovery and Paramount Global would be the largest test of that pattern yet. The combined entity would control HBO, CNN, DC, Paramount Pictures, CBS, Nickelodeon, and MTV under a single owner. That is a content library large enough that a meaningful share of U.S. subscribers would find it genuinely difficult to cancel either...

Netflix's advertising business has transformed from a controversial experiment into a legitimate revenue powerhouse, fundamentally altering how we think about subscription streaming. When the platform first announced its ad-supported tier in 2022, skeptics questioned whether viewers would accept commercials on a service they'd grown accustomed to enjoying interruption-free. The reality has proven far more complex and fascinating than anyone anticipated.

A Rome court recently ruled that Netflix illegally raised prices on Italian subscribers and ordered the company to issue refunds, reduce current bills, and inform former customers to inform them of their rights. The headline figures are striking up to €500 for long-term Premium subscribers. The reality is narrower, and none of it is final.

The streaming wars just got a major shakeup, and it all happened on Hollywood's biggest night. Warner Bros just pulled off something that hasn't been seen since the days of Ben-Hur and Titanic—they swept the 2026 Oscars with a record-tying 11 Academy Awards. But here's what makes this particularly fascinating: it's happening right as the studio is in a pending massive $111 billion acquisition deal with Paramount. More importantly for streaming subscribers, these Oscar wins demonstrate exactly...

T-Mobile's 2024 MLB.TV Offer: What Happened to Sports Streaming Perks?

The traditional landscape of sports broadcasting is undergoing a seismic shift, and federal regulators are taking notice. As more live sporting events migrate from free over-the-air television to subscription-based streaming platforms, the Federal Communications Commission has issued a public notice seeking comment on this transformative trend. This regulatory attention comes at a critical juncture when fans are grappling with fragmented viewing experiences, rising costs, and questions about...

The streaming landscape just got a little friendlier for channel surfers. If you've ever found yourself scrolling endlessly through Roku's massive collection of free live TV channels, wondering if there's something specific you're missing, you're not alone. With over 500 of FAST (Free Ad-Supported Television) channels now available across the platform, discovery has become both a blessing and a curse—there's tons of content, but finding exactly what you want can feel like searching for a needle...

Netflix just dropped something pretty interesting into their gaming lineup, and honestly, it might be their smartest move yet. Overcooked! All You Can Eat launched on March 5th with a twist that goes way beyond your typical game port—we're talking exclusive character skins from Stranger Things and KPop Demon Hunters that you literally can't get anywhere else. Netflix Games announced this as part of their cloud gaming push, which signals they're finally taking the living room gaming experience...

The streaming wars have reached every corner of the globe, but there's one battlefield where even the biggest platforms are struggling to gain ground. While Netflix, Disney+, and Amazon Prime Video dominate in Western markets, a different reality exists in regions like the Middle East and North Africa (MENA), where geopolitical tensions, payment infrastructure gaps, and licensing complexities create the perfect storm for widespread piracy.

When Apple TV joined Roku's Premium Subscriptions lineup this week, it wasn't just another distribution deal – it was a strategic acknowledgment that the streaming landscape has fundamentally shifted. Apple TV has become one of more than 70 services in Roku's curated subscription offering, making Apple's premium content significantly more accessible to Roku's platform that's expected to exceed 100 million households this year.

The spoiler problem plaguing YouTube Premium subscribers has reached a breaking point. You're paying somewhere around $20 monthly after taxes in many regions for what should be a premium experience, yet you're still getting bombarded with content spoilers through the very recommendation system that's supposed to enhance your viewing.

YouTube has recently expanded its 30-second unskippable advertisement format to TV applications worldwide, marking a decisive shift in how Google monetizes its connected TV audience.

The 98th Academy Awards are just around the corner, and for cord-cutters and streaming enthusiasts, there's never been a better time to ditch traditional cable and catch Hollywood's biggest night online. With Conan O'Brien returning as host for the second consecutive year and the ceremony taking place March 15 at the iconic Dolby Theatre, this year's show promises to be unmissable. Here's your complete guide to streaming the Oscars for free, no cable subscription required.

A year after launching on phones and browsers, the YouTube TV Ask button with Gemini is coming to the screen where most YouTube viewing actually happens. Google began testing the feature last month on smart TVs, gaming consoles, and streaming devices, Engadget reported, marking the first time the conversational AI tool has been available outside mobile and desktop environments.

Verizon's Netflix and Max perk bundles Netflix Standard with Ads and HBO Max Basic with Ads for $10 a month. Purchased separately, those two services cost $18.98 a month a genuine saving of nearly $9. It is also a saving that Verizon controls, not Netflix. In an environment where 56% of subscribers already expect Netflix to raise prices again, that distinction deserves more attention than the marketing materials give it.

These games exist nowhere else. Friday Night Baseball on Apple TV is the only way to watch two MLB games every Friday night in 2026, and if your subscription isn't set up, you'll miss first pitch tonight. This guide covers exactly what you need: the right plan, which devices work, what it costs, and every confirmed game through June 26.

Spotify launched Artist Profile Protection on March 24, an opt-in beta that lets artists approve or reject releases before they attach to their profile, catalog, and recommendations. For the first time, the default works in artists' favor: if nothing happens, the release is blocked. Before this feature existed, an incorrectly attributed track was already live by the time anyone could act on it, according to Music Business Worldwide and Billboard coverage on March 24.

T-Mobile customers have until 4:59 a.m. ET this Monday, March 31 to claim a free full-season MLB.TV subscription through the T-Life app. The subscription, valued at $149.99, covers every out-of-market regular-season game live or on demand. T-Mobile's own promotional materials flag the core limitation in bold: this offer is built for watching other cities' teams, not your own.

The Thomson Google TV Streaming Box 260 Pro 4K surfaced this month with specs that directly undercut Google's $99.99 streamer on storage and connectivity. Within days, leaked details and an FCC filing confirmed Walmart is building a second-generation Onn 4K Pro that appears to clone Google's hardware story almost feature for feature. Two devices, different manufacturers, same basic thesis: the sub-$100 Google TV market is converging around a small pool of chipsets and a shared feature checklist.

YouTube Premium removes the pre-roll and mid-roll ads that YouTube itself serves. What many subscribers don't realize is that it also includes a feature called Jump Ahead, which can skip past the 30-second to two-minute creator-read sponsorships baked directly into the video. This guide covers how to trigger Jump Ahead on mobile and desktop, why it shows up on some videos and not others, and when to switch to SponsorBlock instead.