This is exactly where it’s heading, not just for streaming but for anything and everything that can be packaged and sold “as a service” whether it’s actually a service or anything that’s undergoing the enshittification process of being converted from a product into a service.

Anything that can be converted into a service will be, and anything that can be so converted will, eventually, become a subscription, and from there, into a contract service model.

Honestly it wouldn’t surprise me a bit to even see literal standalone products converted into contract based subscriptions over time, given the IoT trend.

So beyond just your streaming service, your TV will have its proprietary OS converted to a subscription and then to a contract, so that you need to sign a 2 year deal with your TV manufacturer to keep it “powered”. Don’t sign a contract? They brick your TV.

With more and more smart appliances, expect to see companies try this to also force you into contracts to keep your fridge, toaster, smart lighting, microwave, door locks and cameras, etc. functional.

Naturally, baked into your contract will be language that forces you to share any and all data they can collect from said devices as a condition of the contract.