AT&T’s upcoming video streaming service is taking different shape after the company reportedly abandoned plans to create a three-tiered service.
The service allegedly has a launch date slated for later this year and will compete directly with Netflix, Apple TV+, Disney+ and others. Instead of selling HBO, Cinemax and the Warner Bros. TV and movie library separately, AT&T’s will package them altogether. And the price point could be the best feature.
The Wall Street Journal reports that AT&T is considering pricing its streaming platform between $16 and $17 per month. Warner Media is also considering rolling out an ad-supported version of its streaming service in 2020.
The TV streaming market is suddenly getting a lot more crowded in 2019. Apple revealed its Apple TV+ service with its original slate of TV shows coming this fall. We don’t know how much Apple TV+ will cost, but Disney is coming out with Disney+ in the fall for $6.99 per month.
AT&T’s service may sound price compared to Apple TV+ and Disney+, but when you consider HBO GO already costs $14.99 per month. Cinemax costs $12.99. Getting both of those and the WB catalog for $16 could be alluring to a lot of people, it all depends how much consumers are ready to spend per month on different streaming services.
Whatever AT&T calls its service, it will reportedly launch as a “beta” by the end of 2019. The company better hurry though because NBCUniversal is coming out with its streaming service at the beginning of 2020.
Buster Hein is a freelance writer who lives in Phoenix, Arizona. Twitter: @bst3r.
