Avid users of Netflix know the pain of not being able to view content offline, whether it’s on a flight or when your power is out. But rumors now suggest offline viewing may be a reality in the near future.
Fortune reports temporary downloads are coming to Netflix. “From industry sources, I know that Netflix is out in the market negotiating to get download rights in addition to streaming rights,” said Dan Taitz, chief operating officer at Penthera, a company selling software to streaming providers, to Fortune . “Content providers are getting asked that now from Netflix so [Netflix] can offer a download service.”
Frost & Sullivan Principal Analyst Dan Rayburn told LightReading that it is an “open secret” that Netflix is developing an offline viewing feature.
"It's a natural progression for Netflix to want to have some of their content available for consumers to watch offline, and we've been hearing for months now that they are in fact going to roll something out soon," said Rayburn.
Adding fuel to fire is the fact that Netflix CEO Reed Hastings said the company should “keep an open mind” about an offline video model at a Q1 earnings call in April.
“We should keep an open mind on this,” he said. “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’s rival, Amazon Prime Video, offers its subscribers the option to download content for offline viewing. At the time, Netflix chief product officer Neil Hunt told Gizmodo that offering users offline viewing would create a “Paradox of Choice.”
“I think it’s something that lots of people ask for,” Hunt told Gizmodo. “We’ll see if it’s something lots of people will use . Undoubtedly it adds considerable complexity to your life with Amazon Prime – you have to remember that you want to download this thing. It’s not going to be instant, you have to have the right storage on your device, you have to manage it, and I’m just not sure people are actually that compelled to do that, and that it’s worth providing that level of complexity.”
It should be noted that Netflix has not officially made an announcement about offline viewing. "While our focus remains on delivering a great streaming experience, we are always exploring ways to make the service better," said Netflix spokesperson Anne Marie Squeo to LightReading, adding: "We don't have anything to add at this time."
