The worst of 2023, free Apple TV+
This week on TechHive: How streaming got worse (and what you can do about it)
Hey folks, quick programming note: Cord Cutter Weekly will be off next week, back on January 5. Happy Holidays and Happy New Year!
A couple weeks ago, we celebrated the best streaming developments of 2023 with our annual cord-cutter awards, and I mentioned wanting to wind down the year on a positive note.
But now, I’ve decided to do the opposite.
After all, this was the year in which streaming providers made their heel turn, sullying their services in hopes of squeezing a few extra dollars from customers. You can still save money with cord-cutting, but it’s gotten a bit harder thanks to a handful of noxious industry trends. Over at TechHive, I’ve rounded up the worst of them and what you can do in response.
Read the full column on TechHive →
Weekly rewind
Warner-Paramount merger talks: Citing unnamed sources, Axios reports that Warner Bros. Discovery and Paramount are discussing a possible merger. The news was quickly corroborated by other outlets as well. The thinking is in line with previous industry megamergers: A bigger company would theoretically provide more ammunition against the likes of Netflix and Disney, along with more leverage when negotiating with cable and satellite providers.
Of course, past mergers have also resulted in higher prices, fewer choices, and layoffs. They’ve also contributed to cable’s death spiral, as the merged entities inevitably use their bargaining power demand more money from a shrinking audience instead of creating more attractive bundles. But nevermind all that. I’m sure this merger—if it indeed materializes—will sail through the regulatory process without any sort of scrutiny. (At least Wall Street agrees it’s a bad idea.)
Comcast hacked: Comcast has acknowledged a major security breach affecting 35.8 million Xfinity customers, or in other words, nearly all of them. Through a vulnerability in one of its software partners, hackers were able to access usernames and hashed passwords. The attackers also accessed birthdates, partial social security numbers, and answers to security questions for an unspecified subset of Comcast’s customers.
Comcast says it’s not aware of any attacks on users yet, but it’s resetting everyone’s passwords and encouraging them to turn on two-factor authentication. Customers should also consider their other online accounts to be at risk if they use the same password, or even the same security questions.
It’s a mess, and while I hate to be fatalist about security breaches, they’re just the reality when companies have no incentive to minimize the data they retain (like, say, social security numbers) and face no major consequences for losing it. (See also: T-Mobile getting hacked eight times in the last five years.)
More catch-up
- Small-time cable operators are giving up on TV service.
- YouTube TV may be adding a last channel shortcut button.
- Google TV devices should feel a bit faster now.
- An interesting list of streaming trends to watch for next year.
- Bally Sports may carry baseball for one more year.
- Walmart+ subscribers can now upgrade to ad-free Paramount+ for $6.50 per month. (I still suggest getting it for free instead.)
Save more money
Apple is currently offering a two-month free trial of Apple TV+ for new and returning subscribers. As long as you don’t have an active subscription, you can sign up, immediately cancel, and enjoy two months of the service for free. Give it a shot if you’ve previously had trouble getting free Apple TV+ through Best Buy or Target.
Other notable deals:
- Get two months of select Amazon Prime Channels for $2 per month, including Starz, MGM+, Crunchyroll, BET+, and PBS Masterpiece.
- Get a year of PlayOn’s streaming DVR for $27, or five years for $120. (Read more about PlayOn here.)
- Dec. 27 through Dec. 31: Lifetime Plex Pass for $90. (Read my Plex Pass explainer for details.)
- The latest Paramount+ codes are BUTTERS, COLIN, or BASS. Learn how to get it for free.
- See more ways to save on the Cord Cutter Weekly website.
Thanks for reading!
While not all’s been rosy in the cord cutting realm this year, I appreciate having you all along for the ride. Cord Cutter Weekly surpassed the 30,000 subscriber milestone near the beginning of 2023 and has continued to grow since then, and I’m looking forward to finding more ways to help you all save money and improve your TV setups in the year ahead.
In the meantime, Happy Holidays and Happy New Year!
Until 2024,
Jared