On today’s ExchangeWire digest: Netflix Strikes 10-Year Deal to Stream WWE Raw; Spotify’s Plans Under Digital Markets Act; Google Settles $1.67bn Patent Lawsuit

The biggest players on the SVOD scene have been shaking up the landscape recently. Netflix is the latest: the streaming giant has struck a decade-long deal with World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) to broadcast its weekly headline show Monday Night Raw. From January 2025, Raw will be exclusive to the streaming giant in the UK, US, Canada, and Latin America, with other regions to be added over time. The deal will see Netflix pay in excess of USD$5bn (£3.9bn) to air the show for a decade. Netflix also revealed that it gained 13.1 million new subscribers in the final months of 2023, making it its biggest fourth quarter yet for audience growth. 

With the regulations of the Digital Markets Act (DMA) rolling out in Europe, Spotify is more than ready for Apple to loosen its grip on them in the region. For years, Apple has imposed restrictions over how apps like Spotify can function, such as prohibiting them from informing users of prices, lower-cost subscriptions, or deals. Apple also introduced a mandatory 30% tax on payments. From the 7th March – under the DMA – users will be able to buy and subscribe directly through the Spotify app, and the 30% tax rate will no longer apply.   

While Spotify looks to a brighter future, Google finds itself settling yet another lawsuit. Singular Computing sought a sum of USD$1.67bn (£1.3bn) from the tech giant, claiming damages for alleged misuse of its computer-processing innovations. Singular Computing’s founder, Joseph Bates, claimed that the tech giant incorporated his technology into processing units that support AI features in Google Search, Gmail, and Google Translate, among other services. 

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