After just a four-month preview period, Hulu Plus is officially leaving its preview status behind and hoping to lure more customers with a bit of a price drop and availability on even more devices. The announcements came today from Hulu CEO Jason Kilar via the service’s blog.
The benefits of paying for a Hulu Plus subscription include additional channels, mobile streaming on iPhone and iPad with some shows in 720p high definition, and more choice in programming with the promise of every episode of top shows from ABC, NBC, and Fox. If you’re hoping for ad-free viewing, however, prepare to be disappointed.
The cost of a Hulu Plus subscription will now be $7.99 per month, a 20% cut from the preview status rate. While the price drop is not nearly as drastic as rumors had originally indicated, it should still be less daunting to potential customers than the $9.99 preview price which industry analysts said “seemed high” for the offerings. Also, in a good PR move from Hulu, anyone who subscribed during the preview period will be credited the difference for the months they’ve already paid for.
Additionally, those with a Roku streaming media player will now have Hulu Plus added to their programming choices as of today. New subscribers are being offered a free month as incentive to sign up for the service.
According to Kilar, the service will be expanding to several new platforms soon. “In the months to come, Hulu Plus will be coming to Internet-connected Vizio, LG Electronics, and Panasonic Blu-ray players and HDTVs; TiVo Premiere DVRs; the Xbox 360; and Western Digital’s WD TV Live Hub Media Center and WD TV Live Plus Network Media Player, with many more mobile phones, tablets, set-top boxes, and Internet-connected devices to be announced,” he wrote in today’s post.
As added incentives, subscribers on devices other than Roku are being offered a free week-long trial and those who refer their friends will receive two weeks free for both themselves and the friend.
While Kilar’s hopes for Hulu Plus are obviously high, the company will definitely be watching closely over the coming weeks to gauge subscribers’ reactions to pricing, quality, and programming. Early reviews during the preview period weren’t all that great, with some referring to the product as “underwhelming”. The subscription price and the inclusion of commercials seemed to be the big sticking point for many. While the price is now more reasonable, the commercials remain.
