Hah, nice eye. I'm usually pretty good about catching stuff like that, so I'll just leave it.Don't be so hard on yourself. You're not undeserved.
Got a tip for us?
Let us know
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.
Starz Launches on iOS and Apple TV as Standalone Streaming Service for $8.99 Per Month
- Thread starter MacRumors
- Start date
- Sort by reaction score
Considering cable's astronomical cost for a majority of channels I have zero interest in but must pay for just to get what I want, this is infinitely better. I pay 8 dollars a month for Hulu Plus. 8 dollars a month for Netflix. And between 9 and 15 dollars a month for a movie channel, which I alternate between HBO, Showtime and now Starz depending upon who has what I currently want to watch. So for about 30 dollars I'm getting a ton of content *I* want and *I* choose to pay for. Much cheaper than cable and I have the freedom to pick and choose which service I want and which I don't and I'm not penalized for turning one off for a week or a month. And on top of that, thanks to the nearly constant 20-25 percent off iTunes Credit sales, I'm always getting a deal on these services. So yeah, this al la carte thing is actually off to a very promising start.
This is something else to consider. I could pay for HBO and showtime, and a friend could pay for Starz and netflix.
My parents pay for showtime and I use their login. They use my netflix, HBO, and amazon.
You are right, I forget about those alternatives. I was thinking more about ESPN, Bein, Fox Sport, and other world wide sports like the World Cup.
I guess YMMV is equivalent to my "use case should determine option."
In terms of value, I think the CEO of Starz stated the value to providers - there are many people, like me, that will never subscribe to cable. He called then cable nevers. If you want more viewers you need to find way to reach this growing group. One way is through Netflix/Hulu/Prime. But I think that Apple provide a platform where the content provider can control the experience better, and they can generate better income. The bigger problem is the bandwidth provider. As I mentioned, too many places are still beholden to a single provider which has no interest in providing good service at reasonable rates. I would love to do as I did with my land line and cut that all together and move to a wireless technology (LTE of the future for lack of a better term). Right now, I have a 15gig family share plan with my current telco. That would probably need to be 150 if it includes my home use. When the telcos can give me that plan (even if it is equal to the cost of cable plus cell today), I will cut the internet cord as well. So the value to the bandwidth provider is that if they do not act now to improve service and value they will go the same way of Ma Bell in the next decade or so. You may think I am foolish, but 10 years ago, no one thought that you would lose your land line and stick to only the Mobil phone. But it happened - read Pew Report for source.
Yep. My parents have cable. So they give me their WatchESPN access and I give them Netflix and whatever movie network I'm currently using that month. I've been away from cable tv for nearly two years now and I haven't missed it for a second.
Starz only available in U.S, it's a start.. hope will be available in more places. Definitely gonna buy Apple TV now
I would! And the same people who don't want to pay money for overpriced services like Netflix and HBO, after all Starz was the one started the mini-series trend like Marco Polo and Game Of Thrones
??? Overpriced?
Game of Thrones is HBO. And they're the ones that started the mini-series trend back in the 70s when they were the first service of its kind with The Seekers, Standing Room Only; into the 80s with a diversified offering like 1st and 10 and Fraggle Rock; into the 90s with Oz, Arliss, The Sopranos; into the 00s with the likes of Band of Brothers and Entourage; into the 10s with Game of Thrones and Ballers... and that's an incredibly microscopic view of what's been on HBO.
And Starz's biggest boon, Disney films, are now Netflix first-run property. Lucasfilm is up for grabs under Disney ownership and will likely join them on Netflix...
[doublepost=1459880775][/doublepost]
Yeah, but the NBA, NHL, MLB, MLS packages all block out teams deemed "local"... ie, I'm in Buffalo, and I don't just lose Buffalo... I lose Cleveland, Pittsburgh and NYC.
In order for me to get these premium channels with my old Directv account, I had to first have a base account filled with crap I don't watch. Then to get HBO, Showtime and Starz on top of that the total bill came to around $90.00 and a lot of scrolling through lists and lists of junk.
Now I get to go right to the app that I want and curate my own viewing experience. The cost for these premiums is now only around $45. Half the cost of getting them through my satellite subscription. Then I add about 4 movies from iTunes per month for another $20 and I am still ahead.
And I get to watch self curated news and choose what stories I want to watch and when I want to watch them. Between 3 or 4 different free news apps I get all the direct news I want and very little of the pundits blathering on about things. Even local news.
I'm loving the cord cutting life. But I do miss NFL games streamed in live time.
Follow itunescarddeals on twitter. I never pay more than 80 dollars for a 100 dollar iTunes card. And by always paying with iTunes credit I don't need a credit card on file, which means I can use any address I want. So I use an address that Apple doesn't charge taxes. So a 99 cent app is a 99 cent app.
Last edited:
I would go up to $12 per year. (.99 a month) Starz really doesn't offer much in content that can't be obtained elsewhere.
That's exactly what I meant.
I think our disconnect is I'm speaking in generalities and your reference point is your use case specifically. It works for you and your usage patterns, just like mine work for me and the crew. I get it. In general, today's cord cutters (CC) add very little value... right now. Relative to the guaranteed money they (content providers) receive currently, CC money is variable and inconsistent. Anecdotally, look through this thread at people who binge subscribe (order for a month or two, binge watch shows, and then cancel). Who wants that kind of revenue flow? Right now, content providers are "caking & eating it too" precariously. Slowly opening access to CC's while trying to hold on to the regular customer base. As soon as they find a way to monetize the CC's consistently, they really won't care how you, me, or anyone consumes.
Not that I am disagreeing, but i will point you to the phone land lines as a case study that I believe would apply. If the the content providers don't figure something out soon, loosing 45% of subscribers to something else over the next decade is going to hurt.
Yep. Check through the App Store for networks that air your favorite shows. Chances are, every one of them has an app. Most of them require a cable/sat subscription but you already have that covered.
I didn't get it as well, maybe is bad wording. He wants those shows yet doesn't want to pay to access to the creative network of both those shows, maybe where he lives they are syndicated w starz or something. Kinda similar to what cinemax did with the knick and hbo at some point.
Starz, HBO, and Showtime have always been premium channels that operate as a-la-carte addons to a basic cable package.
Anybody else have trouble getting this to work? I signed up through my Apple TV. I know I'm subscribed because I've already been charged but it keeps asking me to create an account. Also I'll occasionally get an error message saying Restore Call Failed when I try to restore from purchase on my iOS devices.
I have heard members here have used VPNs to get around regional blackouts
[doublepost=1459891348][/doublepost]
Seriously.... You all have no clue how expensive it is to create quality content.
i wonder if your boss came to you and said: hey you do great work, but now I want to pay you less for the same quality of work you now do. I'm very sure you would object. But you want other to get paid less for their work. Seems fair
Last edited:
The biggest advantage is how easy everything will be to subscribe/unsubscribe. Subscribe a month to watch Game Of Thrones and hit the unsubscribe tab. That is one thing I hate about cable. Paying for channels you don't want. Also, to keep cable cheaper you have to be under contracts and can't just unsubscribe. Even if not under contract, you'd be on hold, no one wants to do that every month.
Or you can just buy seasons of content you actually want to watch. No need to subscribe and then unsubscribe. Make a list of shows you really take time to follow. It might surprise you that you really like fewer content that you think. Most stuff you just watch because your shows are on hiatus or not on at particular day/week.
Not gonna lie, you are probably the only person posting who has signed up yet.
My HBO is through my apple account and it has never given me issues.
This is a ridiculous waste of money.
[doublepost=1459901775][/doublepost]
My HBO, Netflix, and Hulu Plus get billed via Apple as well and never have issues either. From what I see on the reviews of the apps on Android and iOS is that Starz is having major issues.