Peacock: Pricing, content, and everything else you need to know
The long-awaited streaming service from NBC Universal is now officially available for all viewers. Peacock, as is known, is now available for $5 per month or $10 per month without ads.
Peacock is a pretty exciting streaming service from NBC Universal, and it’s unlike any other VoD service as it offers a free version for Comcast customers. At the same time, platforms like Netflix, HBO MAX, and Hulu have given up on offering free versions.
Currently, Peacock is only available in the United States. NBC Universal has yet to announce plans to launch it in other countries. But that could change.
However, some original content has been licensed by a broadcaster in Canada and you are now able to Watch Peacock TV Canada and enjoy its entertainment content.
So, here we will tell you all that you should know about Peacock, the latest streaming service from NBCUniversal. And it will help you decide whether or not you should register.
What is Peacock?
Peacock is one of the newest streaming services on the market. It is owned by NBCUniversal and provides the majority of its content from the properties it owns. Like NBC, E!, USA and others.
Peacock launched in July 2020. And it has three plans. There is a free plan which is available to all users. However, the free offer does not have all of its content. There are about two-thirds of the Peacock Library available on this level for free.
The other two tiers – Peacock Premium and Peacock Premium Plus – have more content and cost $4.99 and $9.99 per month, respectively. The Peacock Premium level contains advertisements, while the Peacock Premium Plus level contains no advertisements.
Advertising: It’s pretty inexpensive compared to Hulu and CBS All Access which cost $6 per month for the ad medium. And Disney + costs $7, but there’s no advertising.
Peacock Costs
Peacock offers various types of subscriptions, including free, premium, and Premium Plus. There is one point on which everyone can agree:
Free:
This tier gives you access to 13,000 hours of on-demand content out of a total of 20,000 hours, ad-supported as well as live television broadcast access.
You may also watch prime-time NBC episodes one week after they first aired on the free tier. Users may also obtain Peacock Originals samples and get to enjoy sports such as the Olympics.
Peacock Premium
For this feature, Peacock Premium costs $4.99 per month or an equivalent of $49.99 annually.
Peacock Premium provides 20,000 hours of content and an estimated 5 minutes per hour on commercials and advertisements. In addition, unlike the free tier, this tier gives you immediate access to prime-time NBC programs rather than a week later.
Your favorite show, The Tonight Show Featuring Jimmy Fallon, is very much available if you are a premium user.
Upgraded customers will have access to a more extensive sports library and unique live athletic events like the Tour de France and WWE.
Peacock Premium Plus:
Premium Plus demands $9.99 per month. Alternatively, you get to save $20 a year as it costs $99.99 annually.
Premium Plus has all of the benefits of Premium, except for advertising. However, due to streaming laws, ads will continue to appear on a small number of unexpected broadcasts.
Areas Peacock needs to work on
Peacock has a fantastic material selection, but it is missing key features like offline mobile downloads, 4k streaming option, and Dolby Atmos on launching. NBCUniversal should consider these features in the future (which are already available on other streaming platforms).
On the other hand, NBCUniversal intends to provide 4K HDR and Dolby Atmos in the future. Unfortunately, there is no schedule for integrating these functionalities.
This demonstrates why delaying the launch of Disney+ until many films support 4K HDR and Dolby Atmos was a wise decision (as well as Dolby Vision).
Peacock broadcasts in clear video quality HD, 720p resolution, and still not at 1080p. On the positive side, it will help you save your data.
Other things you should know about Peacock
Peacock is available on most platforms, which means multiple people can use it at the same time. But how many people can broadcast at the same time? The answer is three. Peacock allows three simultaneous streams at the same time, NBC Universal is on par with the competition. And that means you can share it with others at home (or outside your home).
Unfortunately, at this time, you can only create one profile per Peacock account. That could change in the future, although Peacock hasn’t announced anything about it.
Parents can be concerned about Peacock’s parenting duties. Unfortunately, this isn’t an option. Peacock advertises itself as a website for those over the age of 13.
Also, do not offer them the option of restricting children’s access to certain sorts of material. On the other hand, NBCUniversal claims it can inform subscribers if a kid under the age of 13 views Peacock content. However, it is unclear how it operates.
Why you should try Peacock
Soon after, Peacock does not want to replace significant and competitive streaming services, including Hulu or the red machine Netflix. Still, the site topped 10 million users six months after its launch, showing great potential.
It will be fascinating to see if Peacock’s unique programming or over-the-air stations can persuade customers to cancel their subscriptions to other platforms.
Peacock still has a long way to go before it can compete with its established rivals, but it will undoubtedly become a key player in the streaming business in the future.
