Happy Friday! We hope you had a productive week. As we head into April, we bring you the latest subscription news. In this week’s Five on Friday, Apple plans to shut down its Texture app, two months after launching Apple News+; MoviePass rival Sinemia introduces new plan and cancels 3 percent of accounts due to fraud; Netflix’s price hikes are just around the corner; Spotify tests Premium Duo, a streaming music subscription plan for couples; and LinkedIn shares top subscription jobs you’ll want to check out.

Apple to Shutter Texture App on May 28

Now that Apple has launched its Apple News+ app, it announced it would shutter its Texture magazine app, effective May 28, 2019. Texture customers who want to try out Apple News+ will get a one-month free trial. If trial customers don’t cancel their service within that first 30-day period, their subscription will automatically renew at $9.99 per month until they cancel. Any new customers to Apple News+ get a free 30-day trial, so Texture customers aren’t getting a special deal here.

This news does not come as a surprise. When Apple acquired the Texture app last year, it was assumed that it would eventually be replaced by the newest generation of Apple News, and that has now happened. As TechCrunch points out, it doesn’t make sense for Apple to offer such similar services.

Unfortunately, this move leaves out an entire group of customers – Android customers and other subscribers who do not have an Apple device on which to access Apple News+. Those subscribers will lose their service entirely when the Texture app shuts down for good. For Apple users who switch, they will game premium content from newspapers, as well as the magazines offered in the Texture app. Learn more about the new Apple News+ app in our March 28 story  on Subscription Insider.

MoviePass Rival Sinemia Is Plagued with Similar Problems

It seems MoviePass isn’t the only movie subscription service with financial woes and customer service concerns. Sinemia, a fintech company, has experienced a number of problems in recent weeks, resulting in backlash from unhappy subscribers. IndieWire interviewed Sinemia founder and CDO Rifat Oguz to discuss some of the issues.

App issues: The week of March 23, the Sinemia app was reportedly down. People were not able to purchase tickets during that weekend. The reason isn’t entirely clear from the interview, but Oguz seemed to be saying that the app is frequently updated and users who don’t have the most recent app will not be able to buy tickets using the app.

Termination of users for fraud and misuse: Oguz also said that a detailed fraud and misuse analysis found that about 2 percent of users had been terminated. PYMNTS.com followed up on that story and discovered the true number was closer to 3 percent.

“When fraud is allowed to run rampant, it can take down an entire business, a scenario in which everyone loses,” the company said. “It’s critical that all our customers use the service correctly and that we take fraud and misuse seriously. This kind of vigilance helps us combat misuse, ensuring all our customers continue to enjoy movies at affordable and sustainable prices.”

Legal trouble: CNET reports that Sinemia subscribers are suing the company, alleging that there undisclosed, hidden processing fees. A class action lawsuit was filed last November, but new plaintiffs joined the suit in March. The plaintiffs allege that Sinemia is advertising a package price, but then they are charged hidden fees. Like MoviePass, Sinemia has changed its plans and pricing multiple times.

The current plan being sold is the Always Sinemia Always Unlimited plan that compares two identical plans with identical pricing side-by-side.

We don’t even know what to think about this one, but clearly neither MoviePass nor Sinemia know the fundamentals of a good subscription service: reliable plan benefits and pricing, consistent customer service and transparency – what you see is what you get.

Netflix Price Hike Going in Effect Soon for Majority of Subscribers

It’s time. Remember in January when we told you Netflix was raising its rates for 58 million existing U.S. customers? Well, that time has come. customers are getting their notices that their rates will increase by $1 to $2 per month in May, reports CNN Business. The basic plan will  increase from $8 to $9 per month, the standard plan with HD streaming on two devices will go up from $11 to $13 per month, and the premium plan will increase from $14 to $16 per month. New customers have been paying the new rates already. 

Will this impact Netflix’s retention rate? Maybe, but we don’t expect a big swing. Netflix has a wealth of award-winning, original content like Orange is the New Black, Narcos, Stranger Things and The Crown that will continue to bring customers back again and again. It is unlikely that a $1 to $2 swing each month will make or break anyone, and those who have favorite shows are unlikely to leave over a $12 to $24 difference per year.

Netflix may lose some customers, but it is sure to see a bump in revenue with the price increases. The biggest changes Netflix may encounter are losing subscribers to competitors. After Netflix announced its price increase, Hulu announced a price decrease. Also, the buzz over Apple TV+ has started, and other streaming services like Disney+ are highly anticipated. The question is really what is the streaming saturation point? How many streaming services for the industry and per household is too many? We’ll let you know when we get there.

Spotify Tests Premium Subscription Option for Couples

Spotify is testing Spotify Premium Duo, a subscription for couples, in five countries – Chile, Columbia, Denmark, Ireland and Poland, reports Android Police, a discounted prescription for two. Priced higher than a single user subscription and lower than a family subscription, Duo users save on the price of a premium subscription, and it is targeted specifically at households with two users.

In addition to the cost savings, Duo offers a unique feature called Duo Mix. This auto-generated playlist includes a mix of both users’ music tastes in three different modes: standard, chill and uptempo. This could make for some very interesting playlists. The Verge reports

 that Premium Duo also includes a Shared Playlists option, shareable with a single click.

Spotify has not said whether Duo will be available in other countries, but it is probably testing this on a smaller scale before deciding to roll it out elsewhere.

LinkedIn: Top Subscription Jobs

Content Marketing Manager
Pandora
Oakland, CA

Pandora is seeking a data-savvy Content Marketing Manager with the experience to accelerate growth for our digital marketing efforts. The Content Marketing Manager will be playing a key role in creating and implementing content that engages, informs our target audiences and further establishes Pandora as a thought leader in the marketing and advertising world. The Content Marketing Manager will balance strategy, creativity and editorial attention-to-detail with a data-driven approach to projects that elevate Pandora for Brands. This person will manage the content development process from end to end, translating content ideas into an always-on editorial calendar based on strategic goals, first party/ third party insights, key markets, budgets and business priorities. Read more.

Manager, Subscription Operations and Technology
Birchbox
New York, NY

Birchbox is looking for a Manager, Subscription Operations and Technology for our US businesses to ensure that all subscribers receive a personalized, on-time, monthly delivery. We are looking for a cross-functional problem solver who is a self-starter, obsessed with the details, reasonably technical, and committed to creating an exceptional customer experience. This person will use, and help to build and iterate on, our sophisticated proprietary systems to ensure that boxes are shipped on time every month and are filled with personalized samples for each customer. They will also maintain and implement various subscription initiatives across multiple teams. Read more.

Head of Subscription Insight
The Telegraph
London, England

As the Head of Subscription Insight you will lead the subscription reporting, insight, and analysis requirements for the business to help drive the acquisition and retention of print and digital subscribers. The primary stakeholder group is the Subscriptions team, sitting within the Operations Department. The team will be embedded within the Subscriptions team with a hard reporting line into the central Insight & Analytics function.This is a hands on role that will transform the capability and delivery of the Subscriptions Insight team. Read more.

Head of Subscription Sales, Retail
TripAdvisor
New York, NY

Are you passionate about Travel and loves checking out new shopping ‘IT’ spots to discover the latest best buys? Would you love working for a globally beloved, industry-leading website? Are you an ‘influencer’ and love to help travelers find options to satisfy their retail needs? Are you driven by making an impact? If so, we would like to talk to you about joining TripAdvisor newest team as a Senior Account Director. In this role, you will champion TripAdvisor’s newest vertical, Retail. A premium content led product to help travelers find the best place to shop in, discover featured brands and best deals. You will lead a team to drive subscription sales and related products to the retail sector. Read more.

Senior Product Manager – Paid Subscription Services
PlayStation
San Francisco, CA

We are looking for a seasoned Product Manager to help innovate and execute our product roadmap for our premium game subscription services such as PlayStation®Plus, working closely with our engineering and design team. This position is full-time and based at our San Francisco office. Responsibilties include  

• Lead the ideation, technical development, and launch of innovative products and features
• Establish shared vision across the company by building consensus on priorities leading to product execution
• Drive product development with a team of world-class engineers and designers
• Integrate usability studies, research and market analysis into product requirements to enhance user satisfaction

Read more