Plex, a popular media server and streaming platform, has announced a significant price hike for its Plex Pass subscription, effective April 29th. The monthly subscription will increase from $4.99 to $6.99, while the annual plan will jump from $39.99 to $69.99. The lifetime plan will also see a substantial increase, from $119.99 to $249.99.

The price hike is accompanied by a major change to Plex's features: remote playback will now require a Plex Pass subscription. This means that users who want to stream content from their media server outside their homes will need to pay for the subscription. Additionally, friends or family members who want to access the content remotely will need to purchase a new Remote Watch Pass, priced at $1.99 per month or $19.99 per year.

Plex attributes the price increase to the need for more resources to continue providing a high-quality personal media experience. The company has been investing in new features and services, including a revamped mobile app, a store to buy movies and TV shows, and social features like "Discover Together" and public profiles.

On a positive note, Plex is making it free to stream on a local network from its mobile app, eliminating the need for a Plex Pass or a one-time activation fee to remove the one-minute playback limitation on Android and iOS devices. This change will take effect when Plex publicly launches its revamped mobile experience, which was first announced last year. As a gesture of goodwill, Plex is offering an extended Remote Watch Pass trial to users who have already paid the mobile activation fee.

The move to gate remote playback behind a paywall may be seen as a strategic effort by Plex to increase revenue and compete with other streaming services. However, it remains to be seen how users will react to the price hike and the new Remote Watch Pass requirement. Plex has been working to establish itself as a more "legit" streaming option, and this change may be a key step in that direction.

In related news, Plex has been testing its big redesign on Apple TV, and the company has updated its privacy policy to allow for the sharing of watch history, reviews, and other data with "public and third parties for marketing purposes" if users have their accounts set to public.

As the streaming landscape continues to evolve, Plex's move to increase its subscription price and gate remote playback behind a paywall will likely have significant implications for users and the industry as a whole. It will be interesting to see how this change affects Plex's user base and its position in the market.