More streaming services are using 4K content to stand out in an increasingly crowded market.
A new documentary from CuriosityStream is nearly twice as long in 4K. You have to upgrade to a premium CuriosityStream subscription to watch the added content.
Scanning the Pyramids follows the team of scientists who used cosmic rays to explore the Great Pyramid of Giza. Their innovative scanning system discovered previously unknown cavities within the massive pile of stones.
PBS is offering bonus 4K content now, as well.
If you watched the documentary on the PBS show Secrets of the Dead on cable TV, you saw the shorter, 55-minute version. The 4K version includes 35 minutes of extra content.
Mainstream streaming services are also using 4K to stand out.
For example, Hulu, Amazon and Netflix all produce their original shows and movies in 4K.
Hulu and Amazon include 4K content as a standard part of their service. For them, Ultra HD is a way to increase their value in the minds of their customers.
In the case of services like CuriosityStream and Netflix, 4K content is a way to generate extra revenue through higher subscription prices.
CuriosityStream subscribers have to buy a premium subscription to get 4K bonus content. At $120 per year for an annual contract, that’s a $60 higher expense over the standard plan.
Chris Casper is a former tech industry product manager who escaped from California for New Mexico. Now he writes about science and tech while searching for the perfect green chile sauce.
