Subscription Economy News: Week of 09/07/20

Every week, we bring you the top stories and analyses from the global Subscription Economy.

Netflix Chairman: Disney Is Our Biggest Rival — And Role Model

Excerpt from an article by Lucas Shaw on Bloomberg

Every few months, Netflix Chief Executive Officer Reed Hastings likes to identify a new competitor to his streaming service. Three years ago, it was sleep. Eight months ago, it was Fortnite. Now, it’s TikTok.

[But] when asked to name his biggest competitor recently, he didn’t mince words. “Disney.”

Hastings has long maintained that many streaming services will be able to succeed at the same time. Thus far, he looks prescient. A strong Disney has not been bad for a strong Netflix, which is on pace to have its best year yet despite new competition from Disney+, as well as HBO Max, Peacock and Apple TV+.

“There is no such thing as subscription fatigue,” he said. “Disney has ‘The Mandalorian’ and we have ‘Stranger Things.’ They are somewhat complementary. People will subscribe to both.”

For more, read the full article on Bloomberg

IFTTT debuts paid Pro subscription service for Applet creation

Excerpt from an article by Charlie Osborne on ZDNet

IFTTT has launched a new paid offering for Applet creators which goes beyond the standard If This, Then That protocol.

The emergence of IoT devices including smart lighting, voice assistants, security cameras, and more have forged a path for us to automate our homes and business processes, but the sheer variety of products on offer means that vendor incompatibility can be a problem.

If This Then That (IFTTT) aims to bridge the gap by introducing a way to forge Applets able to handle queries, conditional logic, and actions, circumventing vendor-specific ecosystem requirements.

Debuted on September 9, the IFTTT Pro [subscription] will allow users to create Applets with a number of user-requested features, including that data can be queried from multiple sources before triggering multiple actions.

For more, read the full article on ZDNet

Volvo launches UK-wide car subscription service

Excerpt from an article by Matt Allan on The Scotsman

Volvo has launched a car subscription service across the UK offering drivers an alternative to buying or financing a car in a traditional way.

Care by Volvo offers motorists access to the firm’s range of cars for a flat monthly fee that covers every cost except fuel.

The Swedish brand says that the pay-monthly subscription package offers a “genuine, flexible alternative to traditional car ownership” with no deposit, fees or fixed-term agreement.

Customers can sign up and choose a car online and have it delivered to their door or arrange a subscription via a dealership. They are free to change their car or cancel their subscription with just three months’ notice.

For more, read the full article on The Scotsman

Can Microsoft’s xCloud Take Game Streaming to the Next Level?

Excerpt from a bylined article by Zuora’s Iman Ghodosi on B&T

Next week Microsoft will make arguably their most significant Xbox-related launch in 12 months. The fact it will be for a service – xCloud – rather than a game or a piece of hardware is telling.

While Australia isn’t one of the 20 countries that will have access to the streaming service straight away, we are part of a seismic shift in gaming brought about not by a console or an accessory, but by a subscription.

Game Pass, launched in 2017, is Microsoft’s game subscription service and xCloud is the latest in a series of improvements and add ons. [It] isn’t about stock on shelves; it’s about dramatically expanding the reach of games.

If you want to measure success in – or simply track the direction of – the video games industry in 2020 and beyond, keep an eye on subscriptions.

For more, read the full article on B&T

 

For more Subscription Economy resources and events, head to www.subscribed.com and subscribe to Zuora CEO Tien Tzuo’s Subscribed Weekly newsletter, coming to your inbox every Saturday. 

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