News & Reviews:   subscription

A potential crossover between two of the biggest subscription ecosystems in tech and entertainment has sparked interest online, after reports surfaced that Microsoft’s Xbox and Netflix have previously explored ideas around a bundled offering. The discussion, however, is still very early and unofficial, with no confirmed product or partnership announced at this stage.

Today, Maxis has announced the expansion of its Maxis Home Solar offerings with the introduction of a new Outright Purchase option for Malaysian households. The new plan complements the company’s existing subscription-based solar programme launched in 2025, giving homeowners greater flexibility in how they adopt renewable energy solutions for their homes.

In a surprising move, it appears that WhatsApp is moving closer to a subscription model. Apparently, the WhatsApp team is working on a new premium tier called WhatsApp Plus, which is now being tested with a limited number of users.

Microsoft is reportedly reassessing its subscription strategy after a leaked internal memo revealed concerns over the current pricing of Xbox Game Pass. According to the report, Xbox’s new Gaming Chief Asha Sharma acknowledged that the service has “become too expensive for players,” signalling potential changes to how Game Pass is structured and priced moving forward.

Instagram Plus is a paid subscription tier, adding monetisation features beyond its current free experience. The discovery was shared by Matt Navarra, who highlighted details found within the app’s code, pointing to early-stage testing of premium tools. First started as a new leak, it is now confirmed that the company is officially testing the Plus out.

Streaming fans in Malaysia have a new reason to sign up for HBO Max, as the platform rolls out a limited-time promotion offering 50% off its Standard and Premium plans. The deal runs from March 18 to April 20, 2026, and is available to new users and returning customers without an active subscription. Users can subscribe directly through the official website or via participating partners.

When going away for a short holiday or preparing to balik kampung, do you ever worry about your home security? Are you anxious about leaving your home unchecked for extended periods of time? If this is you, the Unifi Home Shield could be the solution you need.

Once again, YouTube appears to be testing a change that could restrict access to its popular playback speed feature to only those who subscribe to YouTube Premium. The experiment was first spotted in a screenshot shared by a Reddit user showing a prompt requiring a Premium subscription to adjust video playback speed, a function that has historically been available for free.

AI chatbot companies are constantly looking for new ways to make use of the technology. Typically, these platforms respond when you insert a prompt, which makes them reactive. But OpenAI is aiming for a more proactive version with its new ChatGPT Pulse.

Video platforms have various features designed to enhance our visual and audio experience. For instance, you can speed up YouTube videos to quickly go through them. Now, YouTube Premium users are getting additional enhancements that could prove useful.