Hulu rolls out subscription-based Plus service

Hulu is now offering a paid subscription service that streams 720p video content across various devices, including televisions, computers and smartphones.

However, CEO Jason Kilar emphasized that Hulu Plus was “not a replacement” for Hulu.com, which currently remains available to viewers free of charge.

“Hulu Plus is a subscription product that is incremental and complementary to the existing Hulu service. For almost all of the current broadcast shows on our service, Hulu Plus offers the full season. Subscribers [will] also have access to back seasons or full runs of some of TV’s greatest shows,” Kilar explained in an official statement. 

“[And] Hulu Plus subscribers can now watch their favorites through more than just the browser on their Mac or PC. [For example], viewers who own select Samsung Internet-connected TVs and Blu-ray players can download a Hulu Plus application from the Samsung app store and start streaming [the service] directly.”

It should also be noted that Hulu Plus – which is priced at $10 a month – now offers support for the Apple iPad, iPhone 3GS, iPhone 4 and third-gen iPod Touch.

A number of additional devices are expected to be supported in the near future, including Sony’s PS3 and Bravia televisions, the Xbox 360 and Blu-ray players manufactured by Vizio.