Technologies

Disney Plus: Price Hikes, the New Ad Tier and Everything Else to Know

Disney Plus is raising prices to watch ad free and adding commercials if you want to pay a little less.

Disney Plus has been the breakaway success among a wave of new streaming services in the last two-plus years, thanks in part to its large library of shows, movies and exclusive originals. The service already raised its price once since launch, and Thursday brought another hike, with a twist: The service also introduced a second subscription tier with advertising.

Here are the big details to know about the tiers, pricing and everything else.

How much did Disney Plus raise prices?

Previously, Disney Plus had a single subscription level, which was ad free. On Thursday, the service launched a new tier with ads in the US; at the same time, it hiked the price on its ad-free memberships in the US from $8 a month to $11. That means that if you’re an existing Disney Plus subscriber who pays every month, your next bill will be $3 more.

Annual membership are now $110, up from $80 previously.

Disney Plus’ US price still undercuts the $15.50 monthly fee for Netflix‘s most popular plan in the US, which lets you stream to two different devices simultaneously in high definition. And Disney Plus allows all subscribers to stream to four devices and access 4K content at no extra cost — features Netflix charges $20 a month to unlock on its premium tier.

Way back in 2017, Disney’s CEO Bob Iger noted that Disney Plus pricing at launch would reflect the «fact that it will have substantially less volume» than prime competitor Netflix. As the months and years pass, Disney Plus is accumulating a bigger catalog of exclusives and originals. As that happens, it’s widely expected the company will continue pushing its price higher.

How much does the new ad-supported tier cost?

The new ad-supported subscription to Disney Plus is $8 a month, which matches the price of the ad-free tier before Thursday’s hikes. That means if you want to keep streaming Disney Plus but don’t want to pay any more money than you already were paying, you’ll need to switch levels and start watching with commercials. Otherwise, ad-free streaming on Disney Plus is now $11.

The ad-supported subscription doesn’t offer an annual plan.

By comparison, Paramount Plus charges $5 for its tier with advertising, and $10 for the ad-free version. HBO Max is $10 a month if you watch with ads or $15 a month to strip out all commercials. NBCUniversal’s Peacock has a limited free tier with advertising, which blocks some library from being streamed, and it offers two all-access subscriptions: an ad-supported membership for $5 and an ad-free one for $10.

How much is the Disney bundle with Hulu and ESPN Plus?

The company offers bundles that combine Disney Plus with Hulu and ESPN Plus, offering a discount if you subscribe to more than one.

The launch of the ad-based Disney Plus tier has tweaked the various combinations and prices of the bundles:

$10 a month: Disney Plus and Hulu, both with ads
$13 a month: Disney Plus, Hulu and ESPN Plus, all three with ads
$20 a month: Ad-free Disney Plus and Hulu, plus ad-supported ESPN Plus

Disney has one additional bundle, but it’s only available for customers who already subscribe to it — you can’t enroll in it anymore. This bundle combines ad-free Disney Plus with ad-supported Hulu and ad-supported ESPN Plus for $15 a month.

Does Disney Plus have a free trial? Or other free offers?

Disney Plus no longer offers a standard free trial. It eliminated its one-week free trial program in June 2020.

But other deals may unlock Disney Plus free (or at no added cost).

For example, Disney and Verizon have a deal that will gives some customers on certain plans the Disney «bundle» — Disney Plus, Hulu and ESPN Plus — at no extra cost; you’re supposed to be eligible with Verizon’s higher-end 5G Play More, 5G Do More and 5G Get More unlimited plans, as well as its non-5G Get More or Play More. Other Verizon plans, such as its more affordable Start and Do More plans, have six months of Disney Plus included, but not the bundle. A Verizon websitehas the fine print with the terms those deals.

When do new movies and new shows hit Disney Plus?

All new titles are added to the service at midnight PT/3 a.m. ET on the day of their release.

Typically, Disney Plus releases new series episodes early Wednesday mornings, and original films tend to land early Friday mornings — but it isn’t an ironclad rule.

When will Black Panther: Wakanda Forever start streaming?

Disney hasn’t confirmed a streaming release date for the Black Panther sequel yet, but it’s reasonable to estimate that Wakanda Forever will likely start streaming sometime between late December and mid- to late January.

To make an educated guess about Black Panther: Wakanda Forever’s timing, it’s most helpful to look at the timeline for other Marvel films once Disney revived the practice of theatrical exclusives.

So far this year, Marvel theatrically released Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness in May and Thor: Love and Thunder in July. Although Doctor Strange took 47 days to reach Disney Plus, Thor: Love and Thunder, its most recent Marvel movie, hit Disney Plus 62 days after its theatrical release. That’s closer in length to Marvel’s theatrical exclusives last year: Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings was in theaters for 70 days and Eternals, 68 days.

If Black Panther: Wakanda Forever were to match Doctor Strange’s 47-day timeline, it would be on Disney Plus on Dec. 28, tucked into the week after Christmas but before New Year’s Day. Every year, that week is an extraordinarily popular time for streaming — it’s often when Netflix racks up some of its biggest hits of all time.

But if Disney opts for Black Panther’s theatrical exclusive to be closer in length to that of its other Marvel movies, then Black Panther won’t become available to stream until mid- to late January, or possibly even later.

Disney’s timing decisions for Black Panther and other upcoming movies — the new Avatar movie and the next Ant-Man and Guardians of the Galaxy films, to name a few — are likely to hinge on how much the company wants to generate box office dollars versus how much it wants to reel in new streaming subscribers and keep the ones it has.

What devices support Disney Plus?

Disney has wide device support, streaming to phones, tablets, computers, connected TVs and streaming media boxes. The company has global distribution agreements in place with Apple, Google, Microsoft, Roku, Sony, Amazon, Samsung and LG. That encompasses the makers of:

Roku’s boxes, sticks and TVs.
Apple TV, iPhone and iPad.
Phones and TVs running on Android operating systems, as well as Chromecast streamers.
Xbox One.
PlayStation 4.
Amazon Fire TV devices.
Samsung smart TVs.
LG smart TVs.
Comcast X1 set-top boxes and Flex platforms.

What product features does the service include?

Video and audio formats: Disney Plus can stream 4K Ultra HD content in Dolby Vision, HDR10 and Dolby Atmos immersive audio. You can see a title’s available formats in any of the Disney Plus apps by clicking to that show or movie’s main page and then clicking on the «details» tab. The app for streaming boxes, like Roku and Apple TV, is also designed to briefly flash a symbol telling you the format that you’re watching; it appears in the upper right corner of the screen for a few seconds when a video begins to play.

Simultaneous streams: Every Disney Plus account can stream to four devices simultaneously and can create seven user profiles for different members of the household. Each account can pick an avatar of a Disney, Pixar, Marvel or Star Wars character, with more than 200 avatars available.

Mobile downloads: Disney Plus also offers unlimited mobile downloads for offline viewing. Subscribers can download to up to 10 mobile or tablet devices, with no constraints on the number of times a title can be downloaded. The number of titles stored at one time on a device depends on how much storage space is available on the device.

Languages and accessibility: The service supported English, Spanish, French and Dutch at launch, including in its user interface as well with audio support and subtitles for library content. Disney Plus originals and much of its library is available with multiple languages as the audio or as subtitles. The app also supports closed captioning, descriptive audio and navigation assistance to help subscribers with disabilities. (In July, the American Council of the Blind gave Disney Plus an achievement award for its descriptive audio, specialized tracks that describe the settings and the action taking place alongside a program’s dialogue.)

Parental controls: Disney Plus offers parental controls in the form of kids profiles. You can designate any profile to be in a kids mode, which has a simplified interface designed for younger viewers. These kids profiles limit the library to programming that’s rated TV-7FV and G in the US, or the equivalent ratings in other geographic markets.

Group watch: Disney has a group-watching feature, which lets you synchronize your stream of any title on Disney Plus with other accounts through the app, so you can watch a program at the same time as friends or family even if you’re apart.

Technologies

Verum Mail: Temporary Email for Those Who Value Privacy in the Digital Age

In a world where every click can leave a digital trace, more and more users are looking for ways to protect their personal information. Online registrations, file downloads, trial services — all of these typically require providing an email address. And then the familiar scenario begins: endless newsletters, spam, ads, and data leaks.

The new app Verum Mail offers a simple and elegant solution to this problem — anonymous, temporary email without registration or digital footprints.

What is Verum Mail

Verum Mail is a mobile app that allows users to create temporary email addresses with a single tap. Messages arrive instantly, appear in a clean, user-friendly interface, and are automatically deleted after 60 minutes.

No registration, no logins, no account linking — everything is anonymous and secure.

It’s particularly useful when you need to:

sign up for a new service without revealing your real email,
receive a one-time code or confirmation link,
test a product or service without leaving a trace.

Key Features of Verum Mail

One-tap creation of a temporary email address
Instant delivery of incoming messages without refreshing
Automatic deletion after 60 minutes
Option to reply directly within the app
Support for both HTML and plain text
Push notifications for new messages
Responsive interface for iOS and Android smartphones and tablets

Integration with Verum Messenger

One of the major advantages of the Verum Messenger is its seamless integration with Verum Mail. Users can now create temporary email addresses and receive messages directly inside the messenger.

This is especially convenient for anyone frequently signing up for services or who prefers not to share their primary email.

Fewer app switches mean more control over privacy.

Why It Matters

The growing number of cyberattacks, data breaches, and targeted advertising has made digital security a necessity rather than a luxury. Temporary email addresses are a simple but powerful tool for reducing risk and maintaining control over personal information.

Verum Mail is not just about hiding your real email. It’s about adopting a more mindful and secure approach to your online life.

Technologies

Today’s NYT Mini Crossword Answers for Wednesday, Oct. 22

Here are the answers for The New York Times Mini Crossword for Oct. 22.

Looking for the most recent Mini Crossword answer? Click here for today’s Mini Crossword hints, as well as our daily answers and hints for The New York Times Wordle, Strands, Connections and Connections: Sports Edition puzzles.

Need some help with today’s Mini Crossword? It’s one of those with absolutely no empty spaces, just a grid of letters, which means if you correctly answer all the Across answers, you’ve solved the Down answers, too. Need help? Read on. And if you could use some hints and guidance for daily solving, check out our Mini Crossword tips.

If you’re looking for today’s Wordle, Connections, Connections: Sports Edition and Strands answers, you can visit CNET’s NYT puzzle hints page.

Read more: Tips and Tricks for Solving The New York Times Mini Crossword

Let’s get to those Mini Crossword clues and answers.

Mini across clues and answers

1A clue: Roomful of students
Answer: CLASS

6A clue: Something to bring in a brown paper bag
Answer: LUNCH

7A clue: __ Harbor, sightseeing area of Baltimore
Answer: INNER

8A clue: Where many Stephen King novels are set
Answer: MAINE

9A clue: Beagle or bulldog
Answer: BREED

Mini down clues and answers

1D clue: Go bouldering, e.g.
Answer: CLIMB

2D clue: ___ New Year
Answer: LUNAR

3D clue: Redhead of musical/movie fame
Answer: ANNIE

4D clue: Something an actor might steal
Answer: SCENE

5D clue: Tear to pieces
Answer: SHRED

Technologies

These Small Tweaks Can Give Your Old Android a Big Speed Boost

Instead of buying a new phone, try clearing some space, updating your software and changing a few battery settings.

If your Android is a few years old and starting to feel sluggish, it doesn’t mean you have to rush out and buy the newest flagship model. Thanks to longer software support from brands like Google and Samsung, older models can still run smoothly, as long as you give them a little attention.

Before you start shopping for a replacement, try a few simple adjustments. You might be surprised by how much faster your phone feels once you clear out unused apps, optimize battery use and turn off background drains.

Whether you use a Samsung Galaxy, Motorola or OnePlus phone, chances are you can still improve battery life and overall speed without buying something new. Just remember that Android settings vary slightly from brand to brand, so the menus may look a little different depending on your phone.

Don’t miss any of our unbiased tech content and lab-based reviews. Add CNET as a preferred Google source.

Settings to improve your battery life

Living with a phone that has poor battery life can be infuriating, but there are some steps you can take to maximize each charge right from the very beginning:

1. Turn off auto screen brightness or adaptive brightness and set the brightness level slider to under 50%

The brighter your screen, the more battery power it uses.

To get to the setting, pull down the shortcut menu from the top of the screen and adjust the slider, if it’s there. Some phones may have a toggle for auto brightness in the shortcut panel; otherwise, you need to open the settings app and search for «brightness» to find the setting and turn it off.

2. Use Adaptive Battery and Battery Optimization

These features focus on learning how you use your phone, including which apps you use and when, and then optimizing the apps and the amount of battery they use.

Some Android phones have a dedicated Battery section in the Settings app, while other phones (looking at you, Samsung) bury these settings. It’s a little different for each phone. I recommend opening your settings and searching for «battery» to find the right screen. Your phone may also have an adaptive charging setting that can monitor how quickly your phone battery charges overnight to preserve its health.

Why you should use dark mode more often

Another way to improve battery life while also helping save your eyes is to use Android’s dedicated dark mode. Any Android phone running Android 10 or newer will have a dedicated dark mode option.

According to Google, dark mode not only reduces the strain that smartphone displays cause on our eyes but also improves battery life because it takes less power to display dark backgrounds on OLED displays (used in most flagship phones) than a white background.

Depending on which version of Android your phone is running, and what company made your phone, you may have to dig around the settings app to find a dark mode. If your phone runs Android 10 or newer, you’ll be able to turn on system-wide dark mode. If it runs Android 9, don’t despair. Plenty of apps have their own dark mode option in the settings that you can use, whether or not you have Android 10.

To turn it on dark mode, open the Settings app and search for Dark Mode, Dark Theme or even Night Mode (as Samsung likes to call it). I suggest using dark mode all the time, but if you’re not sure, you can always set dark mode to automatically turn on based on a schedule, say from 7 p.m. to 7 a.m. every day, or allow it to automatically switch based on your location at sunset and sunrise.

Keep your home screen free of clutter

Planning to hit up the Google Play Store for a bunch of new Android apps? Be prepared for a lot of icon clutter on your home screen, which is where shortcuts land every time you install something.

If you don’t want that, there’s a simple way out of this: Long-press on an empty area of your home screen and tap Settings. Find the option labeled something along the lines of Add icon to Home Screen or Add new apps to Home Screen and turn it off.

Presto! No more icons on the home screen when you install new apps. You can still add shortcuts by dragging an app’s icon out of the app drawer, but they won’t appear on your home screen unless you want them to.

Read more: Best Android Phones You Can Buy in 2024

Set up Do Not Disturb so that you can better focus

If your phone routinely spends the night on your nightstand, you probably don’t want it beeping or buzzing every time there’s a call, message or Facebook alert — especially when you’re trying to sleep. Android offers a Do Not Disturb mode that will keep the phone more or less silent during designated hours. On some phones, this is referred to as the Downtime setting or even Quiet Time.

Head to Settings > Sounds (or Notifications), then look for Do Not Disturb or a similar name. If you can’t find it, search for it using the built-in search feature in your settings.

Using the feature, you can set up a range of hours when you want to turn off the digital noise. Don’t worry, any notifications you get while Do Not Disturb is turned on will still be waiting for you when you wake up. Also, you can typically make an exception that allows repeat callers and favorite contacts’ calls to go through. Turn that on. If someone is calling you in an emergency, odds are they are going to keep trying.

Always be prepared in case you lose your phone or it’s stolen

Is there anything worse than a lost or stolen phone? Only the knowledge that you could have tracked it down if you had turned on Google’s Find My Device feature.

To prepare for a successful recovery, here’s what you need to do: Open the Settings app and then search for Find My Device. It’s usually in the Security section of the Settings app.

If you have a Samsung device, you can use Samsung’s Find My Mobile service, which is found in Settings > Biometrics and security > Find My Mobile.

Once that’s enabled, you can head to android.com/find from any PC or mobile device and sign in to your account. Samsung users can visit findmymobile.samsung.com to find a lost phone.

If you have trouble setting any of this up, be sure to read our complete guide to finding a lost Android phone.

Assuming your phone is on and online, you should be able to see its location on a map. From there, you can make it ring, lock it, set a lock screen note to tell whoever has it how to get it back to you, or, worst-case scenario, remotely wipe the whole thing.

And always keep your phone up to date

As obvious as it may seem, a simple software update could fix bugs and other issues slowing down your Android device.

Before you download and install the latest software update, make sure your device is connected to Wi-Fi, or else this won’t work.

Now, open the Settings application and type in Update. You’ll then either see Software update or System update — choose either one. Then just download the software, wait for a few minutes and install it when it’s ready. Your Android device will reboot and install the latest software update available.

There’s a lot more to learn about a new phone. Here are the best ways to boost your cell signal, and here’s a flagship phone head-to-head comparison. Plus, check out CNET’s list of the best cases for your Samsung phone. More of an Apple fan? We have tips for boosting your iPhone’s performance, too.