Meta says the core service will remain free as before. However, premium users will get some special control features. There will be additional options for content sharing and connections. Meta is not stuck with the same type of subscription. Different features and packages will be tested separately. The subscription benefits of each app will also be different.
Meta also said it plans to add an AI agent called “Manas” to its platform, which it recently acquired for about $2 billion. The AI will be integrated into Meta’s products, and will also be sold as a separate subscription for businesses.
It is already known that work is underway to add a shortcut to Manas on Instagram. New plans are also coming with AI videos. Meta's AI video feature called "Vives" was free until now. Now a freemium model will be introduced there. A certain number of videos can be made for free per month. If you want to make more, you will need a subscription.
It is not yet clear what the paid features of WhatsApp and Facebook will be like. However, information about some possible benefits of Instagram has come to light. These include creating unlimited audience lists. Viewing a list of who doesn't follow you. And an option to hide the post from the person who posted it even if they see it.
This new subscription will be separate from “Meta Verified,” which is primarily for creators and businesses. It includes a verified badge, support, and security features. The new subscription will also be open to general users.
Additional subscriptions will open up new revenue streams for Meta. However, it could create “subscription fatigue” among users. Monthly costs are now increasing for many services. So Meta will have to offer a strong offer to attract users. Snapchat has already shown success in this market. Its Snapchat Plus subscription now has more than 16 million subscribers.
Meta said that subscriptions will be introduced in stages. The service will be improved based on user feedback.
