Netflix Will Not Let You Download Shows and Movies on Its Most Affordable Package
Users of the standard Netflix service have the option to download episodes and movies to watch at a later time. Users of the planned, less expensive, ad-supported edition, however, won’t be able to save programmes and films to their devices for offline watching.
Steve Moser, a contributing writer for Mac Rumors and the chief editor of the Tape Drive, found this out when examining the Netflix iPhone app’s source code.
The code of Netflix’s iPhone app offers a number of hints about the impending service, despite the fact that the ad-supported version has not yet been formally introduced.
The coding, according to Moser, indicates that users won’t be able to skip advertising and that playback controls won’t be available while there are commercial breaks. Here, it should be mentioned that bypassing commercials is a typical feature in the streaming environment.
When contacted for comment, Netflix declined to provide one, implying that the streaming juggernaut’s intentions are not set in stone at this time and may alter before the release of the ad-supported version, which is still a few months away.
Users of the standard Netflix subscription can download any of the content for later viewing. For people who reside in places without reliable internet connectivity, this feature is useful.
The lack of this function in the version supported by advertisements may encourage consumers to sign up for premium plans, which can cost up to $20 in the US. Additionally, the dominant streaming service had already made it clear that not all programmes and films will be accessible in the ad-supported version.
Netflix has been rapidly losing customers. The platform lost 1.3 million customers in only the US and Canada during Q2 2022. Additionally, the California-based business is up against HBO Max from Warner Bros., Prime Video from Amazon, Disney+ from Walt Disney, and Hulu.
The introduction of an ad-supported version was announced by Netflix in June of this year. The firm and Microsoft have teamed to create the new version’s advertising system, which is anticipated to debut in early 2023.