News

Twitter Plans To Charge $19.99 Per Month For Verification

After acquiring the social media platform for $44 billion, Elon Musk has issued a deadline to introduce a paid verification scheme.

Published

4 years ago

October 31, 2022

Nour Nasir

twitter plans to charge $19.99 per month for verification

Bryce Durbin / TechCrunch

In one of his first directives since the takeover, Elon Musk aims to change Twitter Blue, the optional $4.99 per month subscription service, into a more expensive add-on that verifies users with the familiar blue check mark.

If the current plan goes ahead, users will have 90 days to upgrade to the new monthly fee or lose their existing verification completely. Musk has made plenty of noise about revamping Twitter over the last few months and is rumored to have issued a November 7th deadline for this particular change, with employees facing being fired if the feature isn’t in place by that date.

Twitter’s new owner has been in charge for less than a week so far, but has already changed the site’s homepage. When logged-out users visit the root domain, they are redirected to the Explore page that shows trending tweets and the latest news stories. The outspoken Tesla founder is planning mass layoffs of Twitter middle managers and engineers who haven’t recently contributed to the site’s codebase, with cuts expected to begin happening this week.

Also Read: Dubai Is Set To Become A Metaverse & Blockchain Hub

The original Twitter Blue subscription launched almost a year ago as a way to view articles without ads, as well as giving subscribers an undo function for Tweets. The service hasn’t been particularly popular, and ad revenue still constitutes the vast majority of the platform’s revenue.

Musk is keen to grow the subscription model to the point where it accounts for half of Twitter’s revenue — let’s see how the controversial Tesla CEO fares over the coming months.

News

New Disney+ Streaming App Has Officially Launched In The UAE

The app’s recommendations now factor in what’s popular in the UAE, and a dedicated Junior Mode gives kids their own corner of Disney+.

Published

4 days ago

October 9, 2026

Dana Saadeh

Disney

A new Disney+ app has officially launched in the UAE, and subscribers can now keep watching their favorite titles when they travel. Disney+ says access extends across supported markets in Europe, the United States and beyond.

The app is built around a dynamic homepage and simpler navigation, with recommendations drawn from each customer’s viewing habits and what’s popular in the UAE. Content from Hulu and ESPN is now easier to find alongside Disney+’s own library, the company says. Audio and subtitles come in up to 25 languages, and supported devices get high-quality video and sound.

For families, the app includes Junior Mode, a dedicated, simplified version of Disney+ for younger viewers, built around age-appropriate shows and movies. It sits alongside existing controls such as PIN-protected profiles, customizable content ratings and account notifications when a profile is changed.

The catalog still spans Disney, Pixar, Marvel, Star Wars, National Geographic, Hulu and FX. Returning series include Season 8 of “The Kardashians,” Season 23 of “Grey’s Anatomy” and Season 38 of “The Simpsons”. Also on the service are the second season of International Emmy and BAFTA Award-winning series “Rivals,” comedy “Only Murders in the Building,” Walt Disney Animation Studios’ “Zootropolis 2” and 20th Century Studios’ “Send Help”.

Also Read: Best Video Streaming Services In The Middle East

Marvel Television’s “VisionQuest” is on the way, and Disney’s live-action “Moana” is due later this autumn. Beyond Hollywood, the Turkish title “Halef” is coming to the platform alongside a lineup of Korean entertainment: Korean-Japanese romantic comedy “Merry Berry Love” is streaming now, and “The Remarried Empress” arrives November 4.

Existing subscribers will be prompted to download the new app and sign in with their current credentials, with on-screen steps covering account confirmation and profile setup. Subscriptions start at AED 49.99 per month and can be canceled at any time.

For UAE subscribers planning to travel, the update will likely be well received, but Disney has left one question open. It confirms Europe and the United States as supported markets but doesn’t yet say which others fall under and beyond.