Every week, we bring you the top stories and analyses from the global Subscription Economy.

Zoom Launches a Hardware-as-a-Service Subscription for Enterprises

Excerpt from an article by Maria Deutscher on SiliconANGLE

Zoom Video Communications Inc. today launched a hardware-as-a-service solution in a bid to capture a bigger slice of enterprise spending on communications equipment for employees.

Zoom offers several premium features to organizations that use its video conferencing platform. They include Zoom Phone, for connecting the platform to business phone systems, and Zoom Rooms, which provides integration with conference room devices such as wall displays.

The hardware-as-a-service offering will enable enterprises that use these features to buy the necessary videoconferencing equipment directly from Zoom. The main selling point is that the hardware is provided as a subscription. Companies pay a fixed monthly fee for the devices they buy as part of their Zoom bill, which removes the upfront costs normally involved in buying a large amount of hardware at once.

For more, read the full article on SiliconANGLE

Walmart’s Amazon Prime Competitor Will Launch in July

Excerpt from an article by Jason Del Rey on Vox’s Recode

Amazon may have a 15-year head start, but Walmart is close to finally unveiling its own membership program that it hopes will eventually become an alternative to Amazon Prime.

Walmart plans to launch a new subscription service later this month called Walmart+ that will cost $98 a year. It will include perks like same-day delivery of groceries and general merchandise, discounts on fuel at Walmart gas stations, and early access to product deals, multiple sources told Recode.

Walmart also has plans to add video entertainment components to the program, though the details of this remain unclear.

For more, read the full article on Vox’s Recode

Twitter could launch a subscription option

Excerpt from an article by Kaya Yurieff on CNN

Shares of Twitter (TWTR) rose 8% Wednesday afternoon following a job posting that said the company is building a subscription platform codenamed “Gryphon.”

The job listing seeks a senior software engineer in New York to join Gryphon, described as a “new team” that’s “building a subscription platform” that can be “reused by other teams in the future.” The posting notes that “this is a first” for the company.

Like its rival social networks, Twitter has focused on offering a free service and making money by allowing brands to target ads to its large user audience. A paid subscription offering could help the company find a source of revenue beyond advertising and data licensing.

For more, read the full article on CNN

BMW wants customers to pay a subscription fee to use features the car already has installed, like a heated steering wheel or adaptive cruise control

Excerpt from an article by Kristen Lee on Business Insider

In July, BMW plans to launch a comprehensive software update on compatible cars that includes digital personalization and on-demand functions.

BMW will provide the car’s necessary hardware and software during assembly so that, later on, it can be activated according to the buyer’s preference.

BMW envisions a situation where, for example, if one customer wanted a feature that wasn’t requested when they bought the car, it can be added afterward. And if that car came into new ownership with someone else, that new owner could also activate the features that they want.

For more, read the full article on Business Insider 

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