Another busy week in the cord cutting world with Netflix announcing it’s surpassed 200 million worldwide users and ViacomCBS setting a launch date for its Paramount+ streaming service. Elsewhere, we learned that Netflix is looking to add an official shuffle feature and the latest game consoles might not be the most energy-efficient streaming devices
Here’s what happened in the world of cord cutting and streaming.
Breaking News
Here are some of the top streaming stories from the past week.
Netflix Surpasses 200 Million Paid Subscribers
Netflix released its fourth quarter 2020 earnings this week and the streaming giant continues to build up its paid subscriber base. The company added roughly 8.5 million new subscribers in Q4, bringing its overall total to 200 million subscribers worldwide. And some analysts expect Netflix to continue growing in 2021.
Read more about Netflix’s Q4 here.
Netflix Will Officially Launch a Shuffle Feature This Year
In other Netflix news, company execs shared that the streaming service expects to finally launch an official “shuffle” feature later this year. We’ve seen the company test the feature in a few incarnations over the past couple of years and it looks like it’s nearly ready for prime time.
Learn more about Netflix’s upcoming shuffle feature here.
Pluto TV Adds Two New Channels & Will Debut Two Documentaries
Free streaming service Pluto TV announced a couple new additions to its lineup this week: BBC Food and BBC Home. As you might guess, the channels focus on the kitchen and home decor, respectively. The company also announced a pair of new documentaries coming to the service this week.
Find out about Pluto TV’s latest additions here.
STIRR Adds Six New STIRR City Channels for Local Coverage
STIRR added more local options to its lineup of streaming channels. They’re known as STIRR City Channels, and the latest additions mean you can view local news and other content from 79 cities around the country.
Learn more about STIRR City Channels here.
Paramount+ Will Launch on March 4
And we have an official date for the launch of Paramount+. The service is a relaunch and rebrand of the current CBS All Access and parent company ViacomCBS has announced it’s coming to the US, Canada, and Latin America on March 4th. The company is set to share more details during an earnings call in February.
Check out the latest on the launch of Paramount+ here.
Disney+’s ‘WandaVision’ was Streamed by 1.6M Households Its Premiere Weekend
It looks like Disney+ has another hit on its hands as the much-anticipated WandaVision was streamed by an estimated 1.6 million households during its debut weekend. Disney is following a release schedule similar to The Mandalorian, with new episodes dropping on a weekly basis.
Learn more about WandaVision’s debut here.
Industry Report
What’s the latest on the industry?
AT&T Raises Prices for DirecTV and U-Verse Customers
Heads up for DirecTV and U-Verse users out there. AT&T has announced price hikes for both services due to programming costs and various fees it incurs. You can read about the affected plans in our post.
See which DirecTV and U-Verse plans are affected here.
Group Says Latest Game Consoles Can Be Power-Hungry Streaming Devices
We knew the latest gaming consoles could be capable streaming devices, but a group points out they may not be the most energy efficient way to binge watch Netflix. According to the group, the new PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series S and X have impressive power-saving standby modes, but can also consume way more power while running streaming apps than a dedicated streaming device.
Learn more about the group’s findings here.
Charter Withdraws FCC Request to Add Data Caps on Spectrum Accounts
It looks like Charter has withdrawn its request to introduce data caps on its Spectrum internet service. The company had asked the FCC to lift a stipulation of Charter’s merger with Time Warner that blocked the company from adding data caps to its internet services. But this week, the company formally withdrew its request.