Will you be cancelling your streaming subscriptions?

Emmanuel Oyedeji -

The streaming world is buzzing with events this week, both in video and music platforms, leaving users bombarded from every angle.

It all kicked off with disappointing news for TikTok Music fans. Bytedance is pulling the plug on its music streaming service, TikTok Music, come November 2024.

Meanwhile, YouTube has rolled out "pause ads"—ads that pop up whenever you pause a video – to free subscribers. And if you think Premium subscribers are dodging the ad bullet, think again, as YouTube is hiking its prices, forcing its paying users to dig deeper into their pockets to avoid interruptions.

This price hike isn’t unique to YouTube, though. Other services like Disney Plus and Hulu, are also gearing up to raise subscription prices. As if that weren't enough, Disney is also tightening restrictions on password sharing – all thanks to Netflix! – with a crackdown in regions like the U.S., Europe, and Asia-Pacific.

It seems like everywhere you turn, streaming services are either asking for more of your money or making your experience painful for those trying to avoid it.

On the brighter side, Spotify’s AI Playlist feature is expanding to Premium users in more regions, though it remains behind a paywall.

With streaming services either tightening their wallets or raising the stakes, one thing is clear: being entertained has never been so costly.

So, will you be cancelling your streaming subscriptions?

– Emmanuel

💡 Read the rest of the newsletter below and follow the rest of our coverage on Techloy.com to gain more insight into technology in emerging markets and the rest of the world.