After conducting trials earlier this year, Meta is set to introduce Premium subscription services for Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp, and Meta AI globally over the coming weeks.
Following significant investments in AI technology, Meta is shifting to introduce these paid subscription services to generate new revenue streams.
These services will not replace the existing Meta Verified service, which provides blue checkmarks to verify accounts.
The new features for each platform that users will be interested in are as follows:
Instagram Plus ($3.99 per month) – Users will be able to Spotlight a Story once per week, as well as extend Story duration by an additional 24 hours. Additionally, a Preview system will be included that allows viewing other users' Stories anonymously without appearing in the viewer list.
Facebook Plus ($3.99 per month) – Users can customize Facebook and Messenger application icons to their preference, and extend Story duration from the standard 24 hours to up to 48 hours. Stories can include animated heart-shaped Super Reactions, and users can search for names of those who viewed their Stories. Users can also see how many times their Story has been re-viewed, and a system will be included to preview other users' Stories anonymously.
WhatsApp Plus ($2.99 per month) – Users can pin up to 20 important chat accounts at the top of the chat list, and can also use Premium stickers.
Meta AI paid versions – Meta One Plus at $7.99 per month and Meta One Premium at $19.99 per month will be tested. These versions will allow users to create more content with Meta AI and images and videos. In the free version, there will be usage limitations for Thinking mode and image generation features. Testing will begin next month in Singapore, Guatemala, and Bolivia.
Services for businesses and creators – Meta One Essential with Meta Verified badge will be tested at $14.99. Meta One Advanced, which will display user accounts at the top in searches and allow clickable links to be added to Instagram posts and Reels videos, will be tested at $49.99. This service will begin testing in Thailand, Bangladesh, Saudi Arabia, and Morocco in the coming days.
With these changes, users will be able to choose and use services according to their needs. Meta is continuously rolling out new services to compete with major companies like Google in the AI technology sector.
Ref: Theverge
