STREAMING

Max to begin cracking down on password sharing

The streaming service Max will begin cracking down on password sharing in the coming months, initially with “soft messaging” about the change, The Verge reports.

During Warner Bros. Discovery’s Q3 earnings call, CFO Gunnar Wiedenfels announced that the process will begin soon, with more expected in 2025 and 2026.

Wiedenfels explained that password sharing has been an indirect form of “price increases,” as the company aims to make those who share accounts or are in different households pay more for the service.

While Max’s interest in password control has been mentioned previously, the company has now begun to provide more details about the start of this change.

Banning password sharing has become all the rage in streaming...In March, JB Perrette, global head of streaming and gaming at Warner Bros. Discovery has previously indicated that Max would begin enforcing restrictions later this year and in 2025;

This move is similar to what Disney+ did, sending emails to customers about paid sharing before launching its “extra member” option;

Netflix also began charging for password sharing last year.

Wiedenfels also left open the possibility of a price increase for Max, saying the service is “premium in nature” and that there is room for further price adjustments, although the company has been cautious so far.

Max last made its price increase in June, on its ad-free plans. During the quarter, Max added 7.2 million new subscribers, bringing its total global users to 110.5 million.

During the earnings call, Warner Bros. Discovery CEO David Zaslav said the company is looking for “more consistency” in its film and gaming businesses after the “disappointing results” from “Joker.”

Netflix will allow sharing of scenes from series and movies

Have you ever tried to take a screenshot while watching your favorite movie or series on a streaming app? Well, this is not possible due to a security feature that aims to prevent users from distributing copyrighted material.

However, Netflix has taken the first step towards changing that. From now on, the company's subscribers will be able to save images of specific scenes. Called “Moments”, the new feature also allows you to share these screenshots.

According to Netflix, after saving a moment, the app will allow users to share a personalized screenshot of that scene on social media. The image includes information such as the name of the program, episode and the exact timestamp of the saved moment.

Also according to the streaming platform, you can revisit your moments at any time on your phone and, if you watch the episode or movie again, it will start playing directly from the scene you stopped.

According to analysts, this new feature could force a real revolution in the industry. Rival streaming platforms are expected to follow suit, releasing similar features that will allow for screenshots, something that until now seemed highly unlikely to happen.

You'll need to update your app to enjoy the new feature: To take a screenshot, simply tap the screen and the "Reels" option will appear in the player. The feature is gradually being rolled out to iOS users worldwide. The company says it will expand the feature to Android in the coming weeks. To use the feature, however, you'll need to have the latest version of the Netflix app installed on your device.

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