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Disney+ to Raise Subscription Prices for Fourth Straight Year

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Walt Disney announced it will increase subscription prices for Disney+ in the United States starting next month, marking the fourth consecutive year of price hikes for its flagship streaming platform.

Beginning October 21, the ad-supported Disney+ plan will rise by $2 to $11.99 per month, while the ad-free premium tier will increase by $3 to $18.99. Annual premium subscriptions will also see a $30 jump, reaching $189.99.

According to Disney’s website, bundled packages that combine Disney+ with Hulu and ESPN+ will also be subject to price increases.

The company has been under increased public scrutiny after controversy erupted over the temporary removal of Jimmy Kimmel Live! from ABC, which even triggered boycott calls against Disney services.

Since its launch in November 2019 at $6.99 per month, Disney+ has steadily raised prices as part of a broader strategy to offset streaming losses and establish the service as a key growth driver. Last year, the streaming business turned profitable for the first time.

This latest round of hikes follows a 38% increase in December 2022 and further raises in October 2023 and 2024, solidifying Disney’s pattern of annual price adjustments.

U.S. Secretly Embeds Trackers in AI Chip Shipments to Detect Diversions to China

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U.S. authorities have placed hidden location trackers in select shipments of advanced AI chips to monitor potential illegal diversions to China. The tactic, previously unreported, targets high-risk shipments and aims to enforce export restrictions on companies like Nvidia, AMD, Dell, and Super Micro. Trackers are embedded in packaging and sometimes inside the servers themselves, enabling investigators to track products and build cases against violators. The Department of Commerce, FBI, and Homeland Security Investigations may all be involved. While U.S. officials see it as a law enforcement tool, Chinese authorities have criticized such measures as attempts to control technology access.

PayPal Shares Drop Amid EU Lawmaker’s Comments on Potential New Fees

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PayPal’s shares experienced a 5% drop on Friday following concerns raised by European Union lawmaker Bernd Lange about the possibility of new fees on U.S. tech companies like PayPal and Google due to escalating trade tensions between the U.S. and Europe. Lange, who leads the European Parliament’s international trade committee, suggested that digital service providers, including PayPal, could face additional charges as part of the EU’s response to the U.S.’s tariff threats.

The announcement follows comments from U.S. President Donald Trump, who indicated the possibility of higher tariffs on both the European Union and Canada if they collaborate in a manner that harms the U.S. economy. While the idea of imposing tariffs on digital services is complicated, due to the reliance on digital transactions rather than physical goods, the potential for such measures has contributed to investor anxiety.

A spokesperson from the German government echoed Lange’s comments, stating that “nothing is off the table” in terms of possible retaliatory actions. Despite these tensions, PayPal declined to provide further comment.

Analysts expressed doubt over the actual likelihood of these measures being enacted, with Argus Research analyst Stephen Biggar describing the situation as “sell first and ask questions later.” The potential implementation of tariffs on finance and payments remains uncertain, but the fear of such measures has triggered volatility in the stock market.