The Essential Next.js Plugin has been introduced by Netlify, combining the functionality of the next-on-netlify npm package and the Next.js Build Plugin. This plugin enables features like support for getServerSideProps and getStaticProps with fallbacks, preview mode, internationalized routing, incremental static regeneration, and more. With this plugin, Netlify will automatically detect when a project uses Next.js and enable its features without manual installation. Users can uninstall the old package, remove unnecessary configuration files, or install the new plugin through Netlify's UI or netlify.toml file. The plugin is designed to work seamlessly with existing projects, making it easy for developers to take advantage of the latest Next.js features on Netlify.