Technology
Stream more, pay less by lowering your monthly streaming costs
Gone are the days of boundless free trials and ad-free subscriptions for every tier of subscription memberships.
It seems now that every year our favorite subscription services are threatening to increase membership plan prices or strip away benefits previously provided based on your membership tier. Streamers have claimed to be struggling with costs as well as increasing their subscriber base.
Despite people abandoning costly cable bundles in exchange for cheaper streaming services, now those costlier monthly subscription services are really adding up.
It pays to take a good look at which services you’re subscribed to already, ways you can stop overpaying and a clear look at the different plans and how they measure up against one another. Let’s check to see which services have gone up and which ones are worth sticking with.
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Streaming on a computer (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)
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Ways to avoid overpaying for streaming services
According to Nielsen, “Americans streamed 21 million years’ worth of content [in 2023]”, which is a 21% increase from 2022. Add up all of your monthly streaming bills, and you are likely spending more than you are aware of.
Ninety-nine percent of U.S. households are subscribed to ONE or more streaming services. On average, Americans are spending around $46 per month on streaming services. Others are paying more and sometimes don’t know it. There is an easy way to get a handle on out-of-control spending on streaming.
Couple looking at their streaming bill (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)
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Tip 1 – Check for hidden subscription charges
Audit your credit card bill to discover recurring streaming charges. While looking at your bill online, sort by name over a number of months to help the recurring charges stand out. Then check your app store settings for subscriptions you may not be using any longer but are still paying for each month.
How to check iPhone subscriptions
To check recurring app subscriptions on iPhone, start by tapping Settings > tap your name > and tap Subscriptions
How to check Android subscriptions
Settings may vary depending on your Android phone’s manufacturer.
To check recurring app subscriptions on Android, Settings > Google > Manage your Google Account > Payments & Subscriptions > Manage purchases, Manage subscriptions, or Manage reservations
How to check Amazon subscriptions
To check recurring subscriptions on Amazon on your smartphone, click your account settings tab after logging into Amazon > then tap Memberships and Subscriptions to see what recurring services are subscribed to.
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Tip 2 – Change to a cheaper tier
Over the past year, Netflix just started offering advertising-supported subscriptions at a reduced monthly rate of $6.99 (vs. the ad-free standard tier, which starts at $15.49). Disney Plus costs $7.99 a month for ad-supported streaming (vs $13.99 a month for ad-free playback).
Tip 3 – Start and stop subscriptions
Because most streaming services are month-to-month and offer the ability to cancel at any time, there is no reason not to start and stop your subscription.
Tip 4 – Split and share subscriptions
Most streaming services offer the ability to now add users to subscription plans. When done correctly and with the right people, splitting a subscription can save you money.
Amazon Prime – $139 a year or $14.99 a month subscription, which includes Prime Video; can be shared by two adults at separate addresses
Apple TV – offers various tiers:
(1) If you buy an Apple device, Apple TV+ is included free for three months.
(2) A monthly subscription is just $9.99 per month after a free seven-day trial.
(3) Apple TV+ is included in Apple One, which bundles up to five other Apple services into a single monthly subscription. Apple One plans start at $19.95 per month. You can choose a more premium tier, such as ‘Family’ ($25.95/month) or ‘Premier’ ($37.95/month), which allows you to share an account with up to five people.
(4) The Apple Music Student Plan comes with a free subscription to Apple TV+.
While some services let you share with friends and family who reside outside your home address, other streaming companies, including Disney+, Hulu, Paramount+, Netflix, and Max, require those who share the same plan to live under the same roof.
Netflix is starting to check subscriber locations in some Latin American countries that could come to the U.S. in the future to enforce shared accounts at different addresses. Netflix started to enforce fees for subscribers sharing the same account but who do not reside in the same address. Netflix, however, does now have subscription levels where you can add users who can sign in with their own username and password, so the account owner doesn’t have to share the master username and password with others. Share the account, not your information.
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Couple streaming movie on their laptop (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)
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Tip 5 – Bundle and save
Some streaming services like Disney Plus allow you to bundle multiple platforms to save you money. For instance, if you pay for the Disney Bundle Duo Basic for $9.99/month, you get Disney Plus (with ads) and Hulu (with Ads). Separately, each of those subscription levels would cost $7.99/month. That means a saving of $5.99 a month. So, double check to see if your favorite streaming platforms offer similar bundles for cost savings.
Tip 6 – Purchase the annual subscription
While it sounds counterintuitive, if you know you’ll keep watching a platform for a whole year, it may save you money in the long run to buy the whole year upfront. For instance, Disney Plus allows you to purchase a whole year’s subscription to the Premium tier for $139.99, which breaks down to $11.66/month or a savings of $27.89 (or two months free) compared to the monthly subscription of $13.99.
Tip 7 – Free streaming services
If you choose not to purchase a streaming service, there are a bunch of free TV shows and movies available on a variety of platforms. Tubi from Fox Entertainment, Amazon’s Freevee, PlutoTV, and Roku Channel are free channels to watch with ads. Be sure to check out our picks for the best sites to stream free movies, TV shows, and live news in 2024.
Some ad-free streaming services like Hoopla and Kanopy let you watch for free with an active library card membership.
Couple streaming shows and movies (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)
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Top streamer subscription cost
In an effort to help you get a bird’s eye view of how much streaming services cost, below is a breakdown of the top streamers and their cost at the time of publishing: The streaming services market is very competitive, with different platforms offering various plans and prices.
- Among the major players, Paramount has the cheapest monthly plan with ads, at $5.99, followed by Hulu at $7.99.
- Netflix, Amazon, AppleTV, and Max all have plans without ads, ranging from $9.99 to $22.99 per month.
- YouTube has three plans, with the individual one costing $13.99 per month.
- The yearly plans are usually cheaper than paying monthly, except for Netflix and Hulu, which do not offer yearly plans.
- The most expensive yearly plan is the Ultimate Ad-Free plan from Max, at $199.99.
- Disney+ has two plans, one with ads and one without. The Disney+ Basic plan costs $7.99 per month, while the Disney+ Premium plan costs $13.99 per month or $139.99 per year.
Kurt’s key takeaways
Though streaming services are adapting to economic challenges by passing along the burden to the consumer by increasing subscription costs or eliminating some benefits at the base subscription level, these services aren’t going anywhere and are a staple of most American lives. Having good awareness, however, of what you are subscribing to and adopting a savvy strategy could still have you coming up on top.
Has the rising cost of streaming services changed your viewing habits? Are you planning on incorporating any of these cost-saving strategies? Let us know by writing us at Cyberguy.com/Contact.
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Technology
Microsoft’s Edge Copilot update uses AI to pull information from across your tabs
Microsoft Edge is adding a new feature that will allow its Copilot AI chatbot to gather information from all of your open tabs. When you start a conversation with Copilot, you can ask the chatbot questions about what’s in your tabs, compare the products you’re looking at, summarize your open articles, and more.
In its announcement, Microsoft says you can “select which experiences you want or leave off the ones you don’t.” The company is retiring Copilot Mode as well, which could similarly draw information from your tabs but offered some agentic features, like the ability to book a reservation on your behalf. Microsoft has since folded these agentic capabilities into its “Browse with Copilot” tool.
Several other AI features are coming to Edge, including an AI-powered “Study and Learn” mode that can turn the article you’re looking at into a study session or interactive quiz. There’s a new tool that turns your tabs into AI-powered podcasts as well, similar to what you’d find on NotebookLM, and an AI writing assistant that will pop up when you start entering text on a webpage.
You can also give Copilot permission to access your browsing history to provide more “relevant, high-quality answers,” according to Microsoft. Copilot in Edge on desktop and mobile will come with “long-term memory” as well, which can tailor its responses based on your previous conversations. And, when you open up a new tab, you’ll see a redesigned page that combines chat, search, and web navigation, along with the Journeys feature, which uses AI to organize your browsing history into categories that you can revisit.
Meanwhile, an update to Edge’s mobile app will allow you to share your screen with Copilot and talk through the questions about what you’re seeing. Microsoft says you’ll see “clear visual cues” when Copilot is active, “so you know when it’s taking an action, helping, listening, or viewing.”
Technology
Apple’s $250M Siri settlement: Are you owed cash?
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If you bought a newer iPhone because Apple made Siri sound like it was about to become your personal artificial intelligence sidekick, you may want to pay attention.
Apple has agreed to pay $250 million to settle a class-action lawsuit over claims that it misled customers about new Apple Intelligence and Siri features. The case centers on the iPhone 16 launch and certain iPhone 15 models that were marketed as ready for Apple’s next wave of AI. The settlement still needs court approval, and Apple denies wrongdoing.
The lawsuit argues that Apple promoted a smarter, more personal Siri before those features were actually available. For some buyers, that was a big deal. A new iPhone can cost hundreds of dollars, and many people upgrade only when they think they are getting something meaningfully new.
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WHY IPHONE USERS ARE THE NEW PRIME SCAM TARGETS
U.S. buyers of certain iPhone 16 and iPhone 15 Pro models may qualify for payments if a judge approves Apple’s proposed settlement. (Getty Images)
What Apple is accused of promising
Apple introduced Apple Intelligence in June 2024 and promoted it as a major step forward for iPhone, iPad and Mac. A key part of that pitch was a more personalized Siri that could understand context, work across apps and help with everyday tasks in a more useful way.
The lawsuit claims Apple’s marketing made consumers believe those advanced Siri features would arrive with the iPhone 16 or soon after. Instead, buyers received phones that had some Apple Intelligence tools, but not the full Siri overhaul that many expected.
That gap is the heart of the case. Plaintiffs say customers bought or upgraded devices based on AI features that were not ready. Apple says it has rolled out many Apple Intelligence features and settled the case, so it can stay focused on its products.
How much money could iPhone owners get?
The proposed settlement creates a $250 million fund. Eligible customers who file approved claims are expected to receive at least $25 per eligible device. That amount could rise to as much as $95 per device, depending on how many people file claims and other settlement factors.
That means this will not be a huge payday for most people. Still, if you bought one of the covered phones, it may be worth watching for a claim notice. A few minutes of paperwork could put some money back in your pocket.
Which iPhones may qualify?
The proposed settlement covers U.S. buyers who purchased any iPhone 16 model, iPhone 15 Pro or iPhone 15 Pro Max between June 10, 2024, and March 29, 2025.
Covered iPhone 16 models include the iPhone 16, iPhone 16 Plus, iPhone 16 Pro, iPhone 16 Pro Max and iPhone 16e. The settlement also includes the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max, but not every iPhone 15 model.
The key details are the device model, the purchase date and whether the phone was bought in the United States.
HOW YOU CAN GET A SLICE OF APPLE’S $250M IPHONE SETTLEMENT
Apple has agreed to pay $250 million to settle claims it misled customers about Apple Intelligence and Siri features on newer iPhones. (Michael Nagle/Bloomberg)
How will you file a claim?
You do not need to do anything immediately. The settlement still needs a judge’s approval. Once the claims process opens, eligible customers are expected to receive a notice by email or mail with instructions on how to file through a settlement website.
That notice matters because scammers love moments like this. A real settlement notice should not ask for your Apple ID password, bank login or payment to claim your money. If you receive a message about this settlement, do not click blindly. Go slowly, check the sender and look for the official settlement administrator details once they are available.
Why this case matters beyond one Siri feature
This case hits a bigger nerve. Tech companies are racing to sell AI as the next must-have feature. That creates a problem for shoppers. You are often asked to buy now based on what a company says will arrive later.
That can be frustrating when the feature is the reason you upgraded. A smarter Siri sounds useful. A phone that can understand your personal context, search across apps and help with daily tasks could save time. But if those tools are delayed, limited or missing, the value of the upgrade changes.
This settlement also sends a message about AI marketing. Companies can talk about future features, but consumers need clear timing and plain explanations. “Coming soon” can mean very different things when you are spending $800, $1,000 or more.
We reached out to Apple for comment, but did not hear back before our deadline.
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Apple denies wrongdoing but agreed to settle claims tied to its marketing of Apple Intelligence and Siri features. (Qilai Shen/Bloomberg)
What this means to you
If you bought a covered iPhone during the settlement period, keep an eye on your email and regular mail. You may qualify for a payment if the court approves the deal.
You should also keep your receipt or proof of purchase if you have it. Your Apple purchase history, carrier account or retailer receipt may help if the claim process asks for details.
More broadly, this is a reminder to treat AI features like any other big tech promise. Before you upgrade, ask one simple question: Can the feature do what is being advertised today, or is the company asking me to wait?
That question can save you from buying a device for a future feature that may arrive much later than expected.
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Kurt’s key takeaways
Apple has built its brand on making technology feel polished, personal and easy to use. That is why this Siri settlement hits a nerve. People were buying phones they use every day for texts, photos, directions, reminders and everything in between. Many expected AI to make those everyday tasks easier, which is why the delay felt frustrating. The proposed payout may be modest, but the bigger issue is trust. When a company sells AI as a reason to upgrade, customers deserve to know what actually works now and what is still coming later.
Would you still buy a new phone for promised AI features, or would you wait until they actually show up? Let us know by writing to us at CyberGuy.com.
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Technology
Instagram hits the copy button again with new disappearing Instants photos
Instagram is once again cribbing from competitors like Snapchat and BeReal with a new photo-sharing format it calls “Instants,” which are ephemeral photos that you can’t edit and that you can only share with your close friends or followers that follow you back. Instants are available globally beginning on Wednesday as a feature in the inbox in the Instagram app and as a separate app that’s now in testing in select countries.
To access Instants from the Instagram app, go to your DM inbox and look in the bottom-right corner for an icon or a stack of photos. After you post a photo, your friends can emoji react to it and send a reply to your DMs, but after they see it, the photo disappears for them. Instants also disappear after 24 hours, and they can’t be captured in screenshots or screen recordings.
However, your Instants will remain in an archive for you for up to a year, and you can reshare them as a recap to your Instagram Stories if you’d like. You can also undo sending an Instant right after you post it or delete it from your archive.
The Instants mobile app, which popped up in Italy and Spain in April, gives you “immediate access to the camera” and only requires an Instagram account, Instagram says. “Instants you share on the separate app will show up for friends on Instagram and vice versa. We’re trying this separate app out to see how our community uses it, and we’ll continue to evolve it as we learn more.”
Instagram, in its testing, has seen that people “tend to use Instants to share much more casual, much more authentic moments about their day,” according to Instagram boss Adam Mosseri. “And we know that this type of sharing of personal moments with friends is a core part of what makes Instagram Instagram, but we also know that a lot of people don’t really share a lot to their profile grids anymore.”
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