Foxtel’s new streaming service, expected to be called ‘Binge’, has entered beta testing, according to AdNews, the upcoming Netflix and Stan competitor is currently being beta tested and due for a release in weeks.
“We have been beta testing Foxtel’s new drama and entertainment streaming service, and we expect to launch commercially in the coming weeks,” Susan Panuccio, Newscorp’s CFO, said to analysts, according to AdNews.
The upcoming streaming service is primed as a direct rival to Netflix and Stan, offering a more competitive price compared to the expensive Foxtel Now streaming service. The entry-level plan for Foxtel Now starts at $25 a month while Netflix and Stan start from $10 and $9.99, respectively.
It comes off the back of the announcement that HBO Max content will be available exclusively through Foxtel in Australia. HBO Max is a new streaming service offering from U.S. entertainment giant, HBO, set to release in the U.S. on May 27 but until Foxtel’s announcement, there were rumblings it had Australia in its sights too.
HBO Max is set to come with original content as well as existing popular shows such as Game of Thrones, Westworld and The Sopranos.
In a time when streaming service subscriptions are at an all time high, Foxtel’s subscriber base has experienced a significant drop. Between March 2019 and March 2020, Foxtel’s subscribers had dropped by 100,000, according to Roy Morgan research.
It held onto second place in Australia with 4.85 million subscribers behind Netflix’s 14.9 million but Stan, Amazon Prime and Disney Plus experienced significant increases in their subscription bases.
Whether Binge will be enough to turn Netflix and Stan subscribers into Foxtel’s arms is something only time will tell.
[referenced url=”https://www.lifehacker.com.au/2020/05/binge-is-foxtels-new-streaming-service-but-can-australians-really-afford-another-one/” thumb=”https://www.lifehacker.com.au/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/2020/05/foxtel.jpg” title=”Binge Is Foxtel’s New Streaming Service — But Can Australians Really Afford Another One?” excerpt=”Foxtel reportedly has a new streaming service called Binge on the way and its inclusion in the crowded streaming market has many curious how it will be different. Here’s what we know and whether experts think it will really work.”]