HDR streaming for your phone to cost more, as Netflix raises subscription plan prices

by Daniel Petrov / Oct 06, 2017, 2:35 AM

Phones and tablets certified by Netflix for HDR and Dolby Vision video streaming

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With $5 billion in current debt, and $6 billion to be spent on original programming this year, it was bound to happen sooner or later - Netflix raising its subscription plan prices, that is. Yes, that also includes the plan that lets you stream 4K HDR content to your flashy iPhone 8, Galaxy S8, Note 8, LG V30, Xperia XZ Premium, or any other phone certified by the streaming giant as having a display that can show those wide color movies and TV series in full bloom.

The top-tier plan that lets you stream 4K UltraHD definition movies shot in the HDR10 or Dolby Vision wide color gamut standards to four devices will get a two bucks bump from $11.99 to $13.99, while the standard HD two-screen tier gets the two-dollar treatment, too, from $9.99 to $10.99. The basic plan which streams in SD to one device at a time, be it a laptop, tablet, phone or TV, remains unchanged at $7.99.

'From time to time, Netflix plans and pricing are adjusted as we add more exclusive TV shows and movies...'

Price\Plan	Basic	Standard	Premium
Before	$7.99	$9.99	$11.99
After	$7.99	$10.99	$13.99

Netflix said it will email subscribers about the changes during the billing cycle that starts October 19th, but even at the highest Premium plan for $13.99, Netflix still comes cheaper than HBO Now, or than Hulu at the standard HD plan. What's two dollars between you and the next season of Stranger Things or House of Cards, after all. Next year, the streamer will be spending $7 billion on original programming, so Netflix is only bound to become more time-wasting chill. As a reminder, above are all the current mobile devices in the Netflix HDR streaming roster.

source: Mashable

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13 Comments

1. Furkan

Posts: 552; Member since: Feb 25, 2017

Samsung doesnt have dolby vision so v30 and iphone x are better

posted on Oct 06, 2017, 2:52 AM 3

4. ebilcake

Posts: 1231; Member since: Jul 16, 2016

Bit of a random comment there.

posted on Oct 06, 2017, 3:57 AM 0

7. Boast_Rider

Posts: 536; Member since: Sep 14, 2017

Dolby vision is better than HDR only if the hardware you have is exceeding what's possible with HDR10. HDR10 already encompasses DCI-P3 color space, 10-bit color support and 1000 nits brightness mastering. I can't think of any phone which surpasses these, making Dolby vision kind of useless for phones. Yes, note 8 can go above 1000 nits, but that's only in high-ambient light with low APL levels, which is not the kind of environment you want to watch HDR videos in anyway. G6 and V30 only have Dolby vision certification. That doesn't mean the screens are better. It just means LG paid the royalty to Dolby and these phones will play the files, though at a much lower quality than recommended as they barely match the minimum requirements. HDR 10 is an open standard and I fully want Dolby vision to die at the hand of updated version of HDR 10.

posted on Oct 06, 2017, 4:12 AM 0

9. HansP

Posts: 542; Member since: Oct 16, 2011

The only phones in the world able to get near 1,000 nits are Samsung's 2017 flagship devices. They can in fact push it beyond that. Other than that, Dolby Vision is software/firmware. It's an alternative adaptation of a current standard. Dolby isn't always synonymous with better. For instance, DTS has repeatedly offered better designs and solutions than Dolby. Dolby is mostly a recognised branding, like THX in the 90's.

posted on Oct 06, 2017, 7:23 AM 1

11. Boast_Rider

Samsung flagships only reach over 1000 nits if the APL is very low(1% or so), which is not a very realistic scenario since most of the time the APL is almost 40-50% in movies, in which case the brightness will not hit 1000+ nits on Note 8.

posted on Oct 06, 2017, 8:59 AM 0

8. izim1

Posts: 1619; Member since: Feb 04, 2013

Dolby vision on a phone is just a software certification, not hardware based. All mobile HDR screens pretty much have the same specs. And LG mobile oleds still cant touch samsungs mobile oleds in quality.

posted on Oct 06, 2017, 4:57 AM 4

10. fyah_king unregistered

But, iPhone 8 only has 750p. How's watching a 4k content on a 750p any good?lol

posted on Oct 06, 2017, 7:25 AM 3

2. Jimrod

Posts: 1607; Member since: Sep 22, 2014

Perhaps subscription price should be based on content... UK gets about 1/3rd what the US does, should pay 1/3rd the price. (Just for example)

posted on Oct 06, 2017, 3:12 AM 4

3. ebilcake

Agreed, if they increase it here I might cancel. I can watch everything Kodi or Terrarium so not a lot of incentive to keep paying, even less if they increase prices.

posted on Oct 06, 2017, 3:54 AM 1

5. Arch_Fiend

Posts: 3951; Member since: Oct 03, 2015

even if price was to be based on content per region, it wouldn't be that drastic of a price cut. This increase is probably a pretty good example of how drastic the price would change for better or worse.

posted on Oct 06, 2017, 4:00 AM 2

6. izim1

Can you at least tell the difference on a phone? Because i sure as heck cant tell a difference on a tv between netflix regular and netflix uhd hdr content. And i know it isnt just my tvs because i can definitely see a difference on amazon prime and vudu uhd hdr content on them. I ended up just going back to the standard netflix package because the premium was just one big scam so far as i could tell...

posted on Oct 06, 2017, 4:07 AM 0

12. uncle_gadget

Posts: 1050; Member since: Sep 20, 2017

I want to know how Netflix certified a phone for HDR content, that doesn't even have supporting hardware?!

posted on Oct 06, 2017, 12:58 PM 1

13. gigicoaste

Posts: 466; Member since: Feb 21, 2016

"4K HDR content to your flashy iPhone 8" a device with not even full HD!! The epic of high tech on PA!! Sure, I know they are just passing the information.. but is not odd to have 16K film on a 480p resolution? LOL, to PA "tech editors" sounds.. normal.