A code hidden in the Netflix application would explicitly indicate the absence of a flagship feature of the streaming service for future subscribers to the paid version including advertisements.
Netflix could differentiate its offer with advertisements from other subscriptions by removing a feature that many users appreciate: offline downloading of films and series.
More downloads for Netflix subscription with ads?
This is quite explicitly indicated by the code found in the Netflix app on the iPhone by developer Steve Moser. You can read there “Downloads available on all plans except Netflix with ads”. The code also hints that users won’t be able to skip ads, which is quite common on movie and series streaming platforms. Playback controls would also not be available during these ad pages.
This version of Netflix with ads will also offer a setup when you first log in: “We just need a few details to make sure you get the most relevant ads on Netflix. It will be very fast, I promise! »
As a reminder, this new Netflix subscription will be the least expensive of all the plans offered, but will not just display advertising pages. Indeed, Netflix intends to differentiate its offer from other versions by offering less content on the cheapest offer. The impossibility of downloading content on its various devices could therefore be added to this list.
This is a very practical feature for users of the platform who want to access Netflix content while traveling when a stable connection is not always available. Although this is “engraved” in the code, nothing has yet been confirmed by the streaming giant which should launch its subscription with advertisements at the beginning of next year.
The small world of video streaming platforms is in full restructuring. Recently, it was Disney + which formalized an increase in its prices at the same time as its offer with advertisements. Competition rages between the different platforms seeking a balance to recruit ever more subscribers while having enough funds to finance ever more expensive productions. In June, we learned that Netflix was losing subscribers to the Disney+ and Apple TV+ profile.
It’s a problem for Netflix, which has long reigned supreme in the industry, but now faces increasingly fierce competition. The company is now ready to do anything to keep its leading position, even if it means hunting down subscribers who share their account.
Source :
Steve Moser via Bloomberg