Topic: Subscription Model
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WhatsApp to Launch Premium Subscription Service
WhatsApp is developing a premium subscription service called WhatsApp Plus, marking a strategic shift for Meta to monetize the app while keeping its core version free. The premium tier will focus on personalization and utility, offering features like custom themes and a significant increase in pi...
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Tesla Shifts Full Self-Driving to Subscription-Only
Tesla is ending the one-time purchase option for its Full Self-Driving (Supervised) software, shifting entirely to a monthly subscription model, a strategic change that could impact its finances and legal standing. The move is likely driven by low adoption rates, with only 12% of owners having pu...
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Perplexity Launches Comet Plus, Shares Revenue With Publishers
Perplexity has launched Comet Plus, a $5/month subscription that shares revenue with publishers when users read their content or AI systems reference it for responses. The revenue-sharing model compensates publishers based on three types of engagement: human visits, search citations, and agent ac...
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Saudi's Zetta Secures $12M Series A to Scale Enterprise Device Subscriptions
Zetta, a Saudi Device-as-a-Service provider, raised $12 million in Series A funding to support its growth and expansion in the technology sector. The company offers businesses a subscription model for devices and services, reducing upfront costs and simplifying technology upgrades and maintenance...
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iRacing Career Mode Gets All Content at No Extra Cost
iRacing is overhauling its single-player career mode to include the entire library of content at no extra cost beyond the standard subscription. This financial accessibility allows subscribers to experience a wide array of machinery without purchasing individual tracks or cars. Season 4 of 2026 w...
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TreeSize drops perpetual license support, pushes subscription
JAM Software has ended updates and support for TreeSize perpetual licenses once maintenance expires, pushing users toward subscriptions, and also withholds license keys and installers after support ends. Since 2025, TreeSize has shifted to subscription models, now selling perpetual licenses only ...
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Plex launches 5-year membership pass at $250
Plex has replaced its $250 Lifetime Pass with a $750 Lifetime Pass and introduced a new five-year subscription option, signaling a major shift in pricing strategy. The company, which has raised $87.6 million but not yet achieved profitability, is steering users toward recurring subscription reven...
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Waymo launches $30 monthly premium tier for faster pickups
Waymo Premier is a new $29.99 monthly subscription for loyal riders in San Francisco, Los Angeles, and Phoenix, offering an exclusive autonomous ride experience similar to Uber One. Subscribers receive priority pickups, 10 percent cash back on trips, early access to new robotaxi cities, and up to...
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Google launches screenless Fitbit Air with Gemini AI coach for $100
Google unveiled the $100 screenless Fitbit Air fitness band, paired with a $10/month Gemini-powered AI health coach, undercutting competitors like Whoop and Oura while shifting focus to subscription revenue. The device tracks heart rate, sleep, blood oxygen, and atrial fibrillation, but lacks a s...
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Xbox Game Pass Ultimate Price Cut Excludes Call of Duty
Microsoft has significantly reduced the monthly prices for its Xbox Game Pass Ultimate and PC Game Pass subscriptions, reversing a major price hike from less than a year ago. A key factor is a change in content strategy: new "Call of Duty" games will no longer launch day-one on Game Pass but will...
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Tesla Ends Autopilot to Push Full Self-Driving Subscriptions
Tesla has removed the previously standard Basic Autopilot feature from new Model 3 and Model Y vehicles in North America, requiring a $99 monthly subscription to its Full Self-Driving (FSD) system to access the core Autosteer function. This strategic shift to a subscription-only model for FSD occ...
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Nex Playground CEO: How Our Console Fixes the Wii's Flaws
The Nex Playground console has found success by modernizing family-friendly motion gaming, with CEO David Lee crediting its strategy of addressing perceived long-term flaws in Nintendo's Wii business model. Lee identifies the Wii's reliance on a few hit titles and low software engagement from cas...
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I Tested ChatGPT's Atlas Browser Against Google
Atlas is a new browser from OpenAI that integrates a conversational chatbot, but its advanced features are limited behind a subscription paywall, requiring users to upgrade for full functionality. The browser aims to transform web navigation by offering personalized assistance, such as suggesting...
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Final Fantasy 14 Is Out on Switch 2 - Here's How to Play Free
Final Fantasy XIV is now available on Nintendo Switch 2 with a 30% discount on paid versions, but newcomers should avoid buying and instead use the free trial. The free trial now includes A Realm Reborn through Shadowbringers, raising the level cap to 80 and granting access to all jobs from those...
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Bending Spoons Defies SaaS Slump, Soars 40% on Market Debut
Bending Spoons, a company that acquires and revitalizes struggling tech brands, saw its shares surge 40% above its IPO price on its debut, giving it a $25.7 billion market capitalization. The company’s strategy involves buying aging digital properties like AOL and Evernote, then using aggressive ...
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Nex Playground drops to pre-RAMageddon price for Prime Day
The Nex Playground, a motion-controlled family gaming console, is available for $239 during Amazon Prime Day, down from its $299 MSRP, though it only slightly beats its original $250 launch price. The console's price increased earlier this year due to the "RAMageddon" memory shortage, and this Pr...
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Planet Labs launches three Pelican satellites after first profitable year
Planet Labs launched three new Pelican satellites (7, 8, and 9) on May 3, 2026, bringing its high-resolution Earth observation fleet to nine, with plans for a 32-satellite constellation offering 30 cm resolution and up to 30 daily revisits at mid-latitudes. The company became the first profitable...
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Garmin Answers 7 Key Cirqa Questions
The Garmin Cirqa is the company's first screen-free fitness tracker, priced at $199.99, and is designed to be worn without constant attention. The Cirqa includes a vibration motor for a smart alarm and activity reminders, and uses Connected GPS to map activities even when auto-detected. Garmin av...
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Yope raises $12.3M for ad-free, algorithm-free social network
Yope raised $12.3 million in a funding round led by Northzone to build an ad-free, algorithm-free social platform centered on small, private "micro communities" for genuine connection. The app, which has nearly 15 million registered users, uses AI to strengthen interpersonal bonds through feature...
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This Kid-Friendly Tablet Actually Got My Son to Clean Up
The Skylight Buddy ($139.99) is a single-purpose tablet for children aged 4-10 that uses chore and routine tracking to motivate young kids, successfully getting the author's son to clean up without a fight. Setup requires an adult using the Skylight app, and the device is strictly limited to one ...
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