Streaming Wars

Streaming Services

With Apple TV+ and Disney+ just launching this month, I thought is might be good to do a post on streaming services. I am going to limit my reviews to what I feel are the major streaming services as there are literally hundreds of services out there specific to networks and content. Some would question that with plans less than $10 per month, why would you want to buy digital content anymore. 

I learned this lesson the hard way many years ago with Netflix. My son enjoys the TV series Psych so I had bought the DVDs when they went on sale. He has watched the series at least six times on Netflix before I decided to sell the DVDs since we had only watch a few episodes on them since I had owned the series. Less than a year later, Netflix dropped the series and we ended up buying the complete DVD series again just in time for it to land on Amazon Prime.

Lesson learned. If the streaming service does not own the rights they must pay for the rights to stream it and you never know when they might drop a series you are in the middle of or just have on your watch list until it is too late.

Amazon Prime

I believe that most people get Amazon Prime for the free shipping. Streaming content is a bonus. The annual cost of Prime is $119 per year which is less than $10 per month. You can also do this monthly for $13 per month but that would be an extra $36 per year vs paying annually. You could just get the Prime Video for $9 per month but that would be a waste in my opinion.

Amazon had some original content like Jack Ryan, The Man in the High Castle, and The Marvelous Mrs Maisel just to name a few. Most movies are from studios with several free with Prime. This makes it nice to try before you buy if you decide you want to keep a movie. All content is commercial free. Amazon is also part of Movies Anywhere digital locker. I admit to that I have Amazon Prime and will keep this service for the foreseeable future.

Apple TV+

I have been excite about this service because of See and Dickinson. The Morning Show also peaked my interest. I plan to check out For All Mankind. At $5 per month or $50 per year, this is one of the lowest cost new services to come out. Current offer is if you buy a new Apple device, you will get a year of service for free.

The service is strictly for their new content. Apple does participate in the Movies Anywhere but the movies are not part of the service. I have watched the first episode of See, Dickinson, and The Morning Show. I am glad I am not paying for this service as I have little interest in watching the second episode of any of these series at this time.

CBS All Access

CBS has a limited commercial plan for $6 per month ($60 per year) or a commercial free plan for $10 per month ($100 per year). The service does provide Live TV but understand that watching live, you will have commercials regardless of plan.

I have watched Star Trek Discover and would like to see Star Trek Picard. There are many other series on this service. They also have many old and current shows that like Blue Bloods, Cheers, and several NCIS shows to name a few. They also have movies that are part of the service. I can not say for sure if the list of movies will change at this time but would expect it might. It should be noted that the two Star Trek series are almost exclusive to CBS All Access.

Although it has the original Beauty and the Beast with Ron Perlman and Linda Hamilton, I am disappointed that it does not have Early Edition with Kyle Chandler and Shanesia Davis. This is a series that was recently released on DVD as a complete series in 2018. I was fortunate that my daughter bought me the series for Christmas last year. I truly enjoyed watching it again. I do not pay for this service but have watched it with a friend who does. I do not see myself paying for the service but may end up getting the Star Trek Discover and Picard series on DVD in the future.

DC Universe

DC owns all the rights on this service. Old and new movies, TV series, and comics can be found with this service. The service is $8 per month or $75 annually. When you consider a printed comic book cost $3, this could be a cost savings for someone who reads three or more DC comics a month. Although the live action movies are not loved by all, I feel the animated films are so much better. I have seen some new animated DC movies come out on DC Universe the same day as the Blu-ray movie comes out. These movies are typically $15 or more. All content is commercial free. I feel that Titans is the best reason to use this service. This is another service that a friend owns I watch it with. I do not see myself paying for this service.

Disney+

There are two options with this service. $7 per month for just Disney+ or $13 per month with Hulu and ESPN+ included. This second option makes ESPN+ basically free. As I do not watch sports, I do not see myself purchasing this option. This service also has original content like The Mandalorian which I feel has not disappointed yet and with more original content coming from the Marvel Universe. All content is commercial free.

The House of Mouse has been busy for decades but more so in this past decade. The service not only has nearly all the TV series and movies from Disney but also include content from their acquired franchises like Pixar, Marvel, Star Wars, and National Geographic. Let us not forget that they also acquired 20th Century Fox which is also has content on the service.

Prior to the launch, Disney was offering users to. pay upfront for three years of service with a savings that was close to getting the third year free. I was planning to pay for this service but currently watch it with friends who have already paid for the service. Verizon Wireless Unlimited customers may also qualify to get this service free for a year.

Disney is not holding back on their service. They are also working on removing their content from Netflix in the next several years. Considering what properties Disney owns plus at least one of their original series is doing quite well, I do not see this service going anywhere but up in subscribers.

Hulu

Did I mention that Disney owns Hulu? Hulu alone is $6 per month for their basic service. They also have a $45 per month with Live TV plan that will increase to $55 per month on December 18, 2019 according to their website. At that price, you might want cable with a DVR. Hulu offers several series and movies to watch. I have used this service in the past but do not plan to use this service in the future.

Netflix

The original streaming service that started it all. Basic plans starting at $9 per month with premium plans at $16 per month. You might have to wait a year to watch a TV series that was broadcast but you can bing watch it commercial free. The service has realized what Disney is doing and has been trying to strengthen its original content. The service has also offered homes to series that were cancelled too early. Lucifer is one series that was saved by Netflix and nearly doubled its run with three broadcast seasons and two additional on Netflix.

Being the original and biggest has made this service the target by most other streaming services. Disney being the biggest to take on Netflix. Netflix has not helped itself by increasing costs over they years. Originally, premium was originally $8 per month with up to four streams and high quality video which is not up to $16 per month. The price jumps started in 2014 and have started to see increases every year since 2015.

With other services under $10 per month, users have already started cancelling service. I am currently a premium subscriber but as rates increase and Disney content is removed, I will seriously consider dropping this from my monthly bill.

Vudu

Yes, I am bias about this service but let me explain. In 2016, Vudu began offering free movies and TV series with commercials or ads as they call them. Vudu like Amazon Prime is part of Movies Anywhere digital locker and you can purchase movies and TV on this service. They do not have free music or offer free shipping with their service. They also do not cost you anything monthly. The "Free with Ads" is exactly what is says. The only cost to the user with an account is to purchase a movie or TV series.

Vudu was started in 2004. It was purchased by Walmart in 2010. Vudu was part of the original digital locker UltraViolet and continues to be part of the Disney owned Movies Anywhere which most movies are part of. UltraViolet had the advantage of also including many TV series that are now without a digital locker so where you buy or redeem it is the only place you can watch it.

I recently read that Walmart is open to someone purchasing Vudu but are not saying if anyone is interested. In case you are wondering, Walmart purchased the company for $100 million back in 2010 and I am sure they are wanting more than that for it now.

Streaming Casulties

PlayStation Vue is one of the first major casualties. The service will be discontinued on January 30, 2020. The announcement came out in October before the launch of Apple TV+ and Disney+. Consumers are also a casualty of the streaming wars. Yes were are being offered less than $10 per month services but if we enjoy content from multiple services, we end up paying the price of cable. The issue is the content we might want to watch is exclusive with one service. At this time, I am willing to wait on some like Star Trek and purchase the series when it comes out on Blu-ray or on a service like Vudu or Amazon.

What services are you currently using? What series are you most interested in watching?