iWorld
Netflix hikes subscription prices in the US
KOLKATA: Netflix has hiked the prices of its subscription plans in its home market, the US. This marks the video-streaming service’s first price changes in the US since an increase rolled out early last year.
In the latest round of price hike, which has been anticipated for a while, the company has raised the standard plan by $1 to $13.99 per month. The premium plan that allows more people to watch the service on different screens simultaneously will now cost $2 more at $17.99 per month. The basic US plan remains the same at $9 per month.
"We understand people have more entertainment choices than ever and we’re committed to delivering an even better experience for our members,” Netflix said in a statement. “We’re updating our prices so that we can continue to offer more variety of TV shows and films.”
The price bump will be immediately effective for new subscribers, but will be rolled out for existing customers in phases over the next few months. The move comes amid global surge in streaming during Covid2019-fueled lockdowns in several countries.
Netflix has added 2.2 million net subscribers in the third quarter of 2020. For Q4, it has forecast 6.0 million paid net adds.
e-commerce
Instamart report maps India’s summer shopping habits in 2026
Ice cream peaks at 9 pm, dahi tops orders as categories surge up to 300 per cent WoW.
MUMBAI: When the heat rises, India doesn’t just sweat, it shops with muscle memory. Instamart’s Summer Trends 2026 report paints a vivid picture of how the country navigates rising temperatures, revealing a pattern less about experimentation and more about ritual. From curd with every meal to a near-universal 9 pm ice cream habit, summer consumption appears deeply predictable and sharply responsive to heat.
As temperatures climbed through March and April, orders across key categories surged by as much as 300 per cent week-on-week. Mangoes, cold coffee, fizzy drinks and fruit popsicles led the charge, while cooling appliances such as fans and air coolers saw demand jump over 280 per cent. Summer accessories clocked the highest spike, with sunglasses soaring 650 per cent year-on-year.
At the centre of India’s summer basket sits a familiar hero, dahi. The dairy staple emerged as the most-ordered item overall, with six of the top ten products being curd-based. Fresh produce is also gaining ground, with watermelon and muskmelon seeing steady traction signalling a shift towards simple, cooling foods rooted in everyday habits.
Then comes the nightly ritual. Across cities, 9 pm stands out as the peak hour for ice cream orders, with demand between 6 pm and 9 pm more than doubling. Family-sized tubs dominate, suggesting planned indulgence rather than impulse buys. Chocolate remains the undisputed favourite, accounting for nearly one in four ice cream orders, ahead of vanilla, butterscotch and even seasonal mango.
Spending patterns reveal just how seriously India takes its summers. In Guntur, one user spent Rs 15,005 on energy drinks and mini fans, while carts in Goa, Bengaluru and Hyderabad crossed Rs 11,000, filled with everything from coconut water to cold coffee and ice cream. Kolkata followed closely with spends exceeding Rs 10,600.
While metros continue to drive volume, smaller cities are quietly outpacing them in intensity. Locations such as Central Goa, Thrissur, Thiruvalla, Nagercoil and Manipal recorded higher orders per user, suggesting that India’s summer cravings are as strong beyond big cities as within them.
Mango season, meanwhile, is off to an early start. Sindhu mango currently leads orders, followed by Banganapalli and raw mangoes, with Alphonso yet to peak. Bengaluru tops the charts in mango demand, outpacing Hyderabad and Chennai combined, while cities like Thanjavur, Pondicherry and Mangaluru are emerging as strong contributors.
Even beverages are getting an upgrade. Jeera masala soda surged 900 per cent in March, while cold coffee grew nearly 700 per cent, alongside rising demand for coconut water, buttermilk, lassi and milkshakes. Like ice cream, drink consumption peaks in the evening, reinforcing the rhythm of India’s summer routine.
Regionally, preferences vary but patterns align. Ahmedabad and Rajkot favour buttermilk and soft drinks, Chandigarh leans on lassi, while Bengaluru and Mumbai skew fruit-heavy. Chennai and Kochi opt for melons, and Delhi and Lucknow double down on buttermilk.
The takeaway is simple: India’s summer isn’t chaotic, it’s choreographed. And as the mercury climbs, so does a nation’s instinct to order exactly what it knows will cool it down.
