Netflix could launch offline viewing by the end of the year

Jos

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A long requested feature might be finally coming to Netflix sometime before the end of this year. According to LightReading, Netflix is working on a “download-to-go” feature that will let users save videos for offline viewing. The report cites the COO of Penthera, a company that works on mobile video, and Frost & Sullivan analyst Dan Rayburn, who called Netflix's offline plans an open secret in the streaming video community.

One of the biggest barriers for the feature is still the issue of content rights. According to Rayburn, Netflix will be limited by the studios in terms of which titles are available for download, so besides the company’s own original content it remains to be seen who’s onboard and how much of their catalog they’ll be opening up for offline viewing.

Amazon Prime started offering offline video late last year and is also limited to select titles for this same reason. Moreover, some content owners place restrictions on the time period you can access downloaded video titles without an active Internet connection so there’s that too.

Netflix had been notably against video downloading but given that rival platforms like Amazon and YouTube Red now offer this option, the company is keeping “an open mind” about the offline video model according to comments made by Netflix CEO Reed Hastings in a recent earnings meeting. He was specifically referring to Netflix’s global expansion and how the feature could be of benefit in countries with less stable internet infrastructures.

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I just wish they would stop on the originals and give us more movies. and at least, all the stuff back they have deleted, bc of originals.
 
Can't see the advantage in countries with always on internet...less stable infrastructures I can see a benefit
 
The greedy backwards Hollywood/Cable companies lost the ball with movies and shows. Consumers don't want to watch adverts, especially if they paid for the experience. They want to watch what they want, when they want, how they want and how much they want it for. I would rather watch Netflix originals that get international release and now the on-the-go download then pay for some crappy movie with adverts and copyright warnings (WTH with those, I already paid!).
 
I just wish they would stop on the originals and give us more movies. and at least, all the stuff back they have deleted, bc of originals.

That doesn't make any sense at all. Why would Netflix pull EXISTING movies from their lineup because their now making shows of their own? Far more likely that Netflix and the studios simply couldn't agree on how to split the profit on those films.
 
Can't see the advantage in countries with always on internet...less stable infrastructures I can see a benefit
Download the movie at home, where you pay a set price for your monthly internet (1tb or higher max), rather than streaming it on your wireless account where you have max usages (much lower max usages, rather) and have to worry about hitting dead zones part way through a trip? Or trying to stream on horrible hotel wifi. Makes sense to me!
 
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