A Netflix 'download button' could be in the works
Industry sources say Netflix is developing a feature that would let people download its shows and movies and watch them later in "offline mode," according to LightReading.
Offline mode is something that Netflix's big competitor Amazon already has baked into its video streaming service, and is a popular mainstay of music streaming services like Spotify.
Anyone who watches Netflix on the go should be rejoicing at this news. Not only would you be able to watch Netflix on your smartphone when you don't have service, in places like the subway, but you would also be able to save your mobile data by preemptively downloading a show while you are on Wi-Fi.
"We know from our sources within the industry that Netflix is going to launch this product," Penthera COO Dan Taitz told LightReading. "My expectation is that by the end of the year Netflix will be launching download-to-go as an option for their customers."
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Netflix has historically been against the idea of downloading content, but the company's public statements have warmed recently.
"We should keep an open mind on this," CEO Reed Hastings said on Netflix's Q1 earnings call. We've been so focused on click-and-watch and the beauty and simplicity of streaming. But as we expand around the world, where we see an uneven set of networks, it's something we should keep an open mind about.
Netflix told LightReading that the company didn't have anything to add at this time.
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