A new subscription service for news is in the works from Mozilla, according to a report.
It said that Mozilla had previously “announced an upcoming collaboration with Scroll aimed at finding a way to help fund news outlets. The organization appears ready to finally launch to the service, sending users a survey, along with invites to an upcoming beta launch of what it calls ‘Firefox Ad-free Internet.’” According to the report, the “service is one of countless third-party platforms aimed at helping ailing publications find a way to better monetize in an an era of defunding, when journalistic voices are more important than ever. The Apple News offering is probably the most notable in the category, but Mozilla’s offering provides an interesting alternative to a standalone app.”
Subscription commerce continues to grow. On average, according to the PYMNTS Subscription Commerce Tracker, Americans spent $2 billion per month on subscriptions in 2018. More than half (57 percent) of Americans have digital streaming subscriptions like Spotify and Hulu. Netflix reached a record number of new subscribers in Q1 2019: 9.6 million.
While streaming enjoys great popularity — the study projected $22 billion in over-the-top (OTT) media revenue for 2019 and a 5 percent decline in paid TV subscriptions — other subscription services have seen lower uptake. Just 20 percent of Americans have subscribed to a health and beauty product delivery service.
Globally, the subscription market is expected to be valued at more than $500 billion by 2020, which is why the competition is so fierce and even more traditional businesses are getting into the game.
The subscription service model has expanded beyond digital entertainment and moved into other industries. In financial services, Charles Schwab has launched subscription-based financial planning products rather than taking a percentage of assets.