Meta testing premium subscriptions for its social media platforms
Reportedly, these premium subscription options are going to include exclusive features for creativity and productivity, as well as some fancy AI capabilities. It appears that each social media platform may have its own set of premium features.
All these features are intended to give more control to users on how they share and connect with others. Core features of the platforms are said to remain free, though.
Currently, Meta has yet to finalize what each subscription will offer. The tech giant is said to be experimenting with different options of bundled features right now.
For example, it is said that Meta is thinking of adding the option to create unlimited audience lists, see who doesn't follow you back, or view Stories anonymously for Instagram. Meanwhile, the company is considering similar functionalities for WhatsApp and Facebook, but likely more adapted to what each platform offers.
Image Credit - PhoneArena
Moreover, Meta seems to be considering incorporating Manus into its subscription plans. Manus is an AI agent that Meta recently bought for (reportedly) $2 billion. Meta is said to continue selling Manus subscriptions to businesses separately, though.
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The company is reportedly working on adding a shortcut to Manus AI on Instagram, as was spotted by reverse engineer Alessandro Paluzzi.
AI-powered video with Meta Vibes is also one of the options that Meta is considering for an exclusive premium feature. Vibes is an AI-powered short-form video feature that's built into the Meta app. It lets you create and remix AI-generated short videos.
Meta may soon ask you to pay for Facebook, Instagram, or WhatsApp extras. What’s your reaction?
Vibes has so far been free on the app, but Meta may start offering a more basic version for free, and then the more advanced video creations would be reserved for paying subscribers.
Presently, it's not clear what the paid features on Facebook and WhatsApp may be.
New premium subscription will be separate from Meta Verified
Reportedly, this premium subscription would be different from Meta Verified. The tech giant has reportedly said that it plans to use what it's learned from its experience with Meta Verified to improve its subscription business. Meta Verified is targeted towards content creators and businesses and provides access to a verified badge, 24/7 direct support, protections against impersonation, and other features.
Meta Verified's features are more tailored to creators. On the other hand, these new subscription plans may be targeted to a broader user base.
The tests for the premium subscriptions may start in the coming months.
Obviously, offering premium subscriptions to users is another way for a company to boost its revenue. The users would also get some exclusive perks. However, Meta will need to make its offer compelling, as many people are juggling numerous subscriptions already and may be reluctant to add another one on top of it all.
Apparently, the company plans to gather user feedback on the premium subscriptions before it's done with the testing.
Would the Meta premium subscriptions be worth it?
It's quite difficult to answer this question when we don't know the pricing or what features the company will add to a premium subscription. For me, it seems like a hard pass just because I don't really use Facebook or Instagram as much. And I'm relatively over fancy AI at this point.
However, if Meta manages to offer some real value with this subscription, maybe some users will be interested. For one, we know that there is a market for social media subscriptions, with Snapchat+ driving revenue for Snap and gathering 16 million subscribers. So, it's not a doomed just yet.
Izzy, a tech enthusiast and a key part of the PhoneArena team, specializes in delivering the latest mobile tech news and finding the best tech deals. Her interests extend to cybersecurity, phone design innovations, and camera capabilities. Outside her professional life, Izzy, a literature master's degree holder, enjoys reading, painting, and learning languages. She's also a personal growth advocate, believing in the power of experience and gratitude. Whether it's walking her Chihuahua or singing her heart out, Izzy embraces life with passion and curiosity.
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