Apps
NBA will livestream fourth quarters for only 99 cents
Ball is life (for only 12 minutes)
Becoming an NBA fan is an exorbitantly expensive endeavor. On average, a single ticket watching the Golden State Warriors in the Oracle Arena costs more than US$ 200. For home fans, the NBA League Pass costs US$ 199.99 per year.
Finally, the league is realizing that enjoying a game shouldn’t cost an arm and a leg. Investment firm Courtside Venture’s Vasu Kulkarni spotted a notification from the NBA app. The notification urged him to watch the fourth quarter of a seed-defining game between the Miami Heat and the Oklahoma City Thunder for only US$ 0.99.
Wow. @NBA experimenting with in app micro-transactions, offering 4th quarter of a game for $0.99. The future is here. pic.twitter.com/pu602ZAokn
— Vasu Kulkarni (@Vasu) March 24, 2018
It hints that the NBA is experimenting with more flexible options to watch games. Currently, the league stretches its streaming options with a Team Pass (streaming games from only one team) and a Midseason League Pass (discounted passes midway through the season).
The 99-cent option caters to a more casual audience who would rather watch action-packed quarters than whole games. In the sport, the fourth quarter is often where fans can watch a game’s tensest moments featuring amazing performances and double-digit comebacks.
Back in CES 2017, NBA Commissioner Adam Silver already predicted the eventual evolution of the game for a streamer-friendly future. At the event, he planned a microtransaction-centered future where the NBA opens cheaper streaming for pivotal, record-breaking performances.
When implemented, this will open up the NBA to budget-conscious fans. Without the feature, only a limited number of games are televised with some exclusive to NBA TV. Meanwhile, the internet is also a hive for illegal game streams.
Currently, the 99-cent option is still an ongoing experiment. The league hasn’t detailed how the option will roll out worldwide or what happens when a game extends to overtime periods.
SEE ALSO: Nike Hyper Court wants you to play like an NBA star
New users on X might soon face a tough time on the platform. The social media website will likely start charging new accounts a small fee for the right to post on the platform.
Now, the fee isn’t a new one. Almost six months ago, the company tested the paid system in New Zealand and the Philippines. New users in those countries had to pay a dollar per year for the ability to post and reply to content.
As spotted by X Daily News on the same platform, the company might be ready to take the experiment to a larger market. New text strings have shown that the policy is rolling out worldwide.
SPECULATION: X might be expanding its policy to charge new users before they reply/like/bookmark a post https://t.co/odqeyeiHBx pic.twitter.com/EU71qlwQ0D
— X Daily News (@xDaily) April 15, 2024
The policy is designed to combat a wave of bots appearing on the platform. By preventing new accounts from creating posts, X hopes to stave off the standard behavior of bots these days. You might have noticed them as OnlyFans creators in unrelated posts, peddling NSFW content on their bio.
Though the global rollout was only just spotted, owner Elon Musk has seemingly confirmed the change. Replying to X Daily News, Musk says that it is “the only way to curb the relentless onslaught of bots.” He says that the current breed of bots can easily bypass simple checks these days.
Apps
Disney+ might get always-on channels similar to cable TV
Featuring content from Marvel, Star Wars, and classic Disney
The burden of choice on streaming platforms is real. If you’re like us, you’ve spent hours just mindlessly scrolling through titles on Netflix or Disney+ without watching anything. Netflix, at least, has a Play Something button to fight off that irresistible urge. Now, Disney+ is reportedly trying something different: always-on channels.
If you already cut cable from your lives, you’re likely missing traditional channels or networks that have pre-determined programming. It was a flawed system that eventually ended up with mediocre content and a downpour of ads. However, cable did allow us to keep watching without deciding what comes next.
Now, according to The Information, Disney+ is working on adding those channels to its streaming service. Naturally, these channels will include content from the platform’s library such as Marvel, Star Wars, and its list of classic animated films.
Strangely, the reported feature might still have ads in between programs. Though the addition of ads does mean a better similarity with real television, users still have to be paying subscribers to access the channels. Even if you’re already paying for Disney+, you might still get hit with ads.
Disney has not confirmed the reports yet. The platform might launch a version of the feature outside of the scope included in this report. It’s also unknown when these always-on channels will launch.
SEE ALSO: Macross to be available on Disney+
A few years ago, Apple unleashed one of the most interesting features for the iPhone today: Emergency SOS. Designed for those who like their fair bit of the outdoors, Emergency SOS allows users to contact emergency services without network coverage. Other manufacturers, however, are struggling to adopt the same feature. Now, Google might soon join Apple in providing satellite connectivity for its users.
Despite the convenience, satellite connectivity hasn’t taken off as much as the industry expected it to. For one, a network of satellites isn’t the easiest thing to maintain. Apple is still currently offering its services for free, a gamble that may or may not pay off. Now, the iPhone maker won’t be alone.
According to Android Authority, Google might start offering the same service to Pixel 9 users. Starting with this year’s upcoming flagship, the company is reportedly teaming up with T-Mobile to create satellite connectivity for its users. The telecommunications network is teaming up with SpaceX for the feature.
The same report describes how the feature might work. Once activated, the feature will ask users of their situation: is everyone breathing, are people trapped, are weapons involved, among others. The phone will then relay this information to emergency authorities for a rapid response.
Unfortunately, pricing remains a mystery. While Apple is still offering its satellite connectivity for free, other brands might put the burden of cost on the end user. Hopefully, they won’t, but a paid version is unfortunately expected at this point.
SEE ALSO: Should you be excited for Apple’s satellite connectivity?
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