Mark Zuckerberg-led Meta has rolled out its consumer subscription plans globally for its flagship apps, Instagram, Facebook, and WhatsApp, while beginning tests of new subscription models for businesses, creators, and Meta AI users.
For a few dollars per month, consumers subscribing to Instagram Plus (USD 3.99), Facebook Plus (USD 3.99) or WhatsApp Plus (USD 2.99) will gain access to extra features, like profile customisation, super reactions, and story insights, with Naomi Gleit, the social media conglomerate’s head of product, stating “more fun features” will be added in the coming days.
Meta will simultaneously begin testing other offerings, including professional plans for creators and businesses and AI-focused plans for users, under the project called “Meta One”, which will serve as the company’s home for its upcoming subscription offerings.
As per Meta, the idea behind the plans is to provide additional features for “power users” who want more from their social apps.
“It also allows Meta to diversify its revenue streams beyond advertising by extracting more value from its existing audience of billions, given the limited growth opportunities for these apps, which have already achieved global saturation,” TechCrunch reported.
‘The new “Plus” plans are tailored to each individual app, with Facebook Plus and Instagram Plus focused more on social expression, while WhatsApp Plus focuses on personalisation and messaging. However, the company tells us the new plans don’t replace its existing offering, Meta Verified, which is focused on verification, impersonation protection, and extra support,” it added further.
The new Instagram Plus plan will give subscribers access to extra features, like the ability to see how many people have rewatched their stories in aggregate, apart from the ability to create unlimited audience lists for stories, beyond the “Close Friends” option. Users will also get a bucket of new features like spotlighting a story once a week for additional views, extending a story beyond 24 hours, previewing a story without showing up as a viewer, searching their story viewer list to see who is watching and more.
Users will also be able to post straight to their profile and highlight without showing up on their followers’ feeds.
Among the upcoming new features, there will be “Super Heart” animated reactions for Stories, custom app icons, customisable fonts for profile bios, and access to additional pins for the user profiles. As per Meta, these features will better serve creators and those looking to grow their following and understand their audience.
“Facebook Plus offers a similar set of features to Instagram Plus. WhatsApp Plus, however, offers other features, like app themes, custom ringtones, additional pinned chats, list customisation, premium stickers, and more,” the Zuckerberg-led venture concluded.