One of the most bandwidth-hungry apps on smartphones and tablets, Netflix has been the bane of data caps for years. Today that changes with the addition of downloads.
Find a show or movie, download it to your device and watch it on the train, in an aeroplane, in one of the less considerate coffee shops. The screenshot above shows off the new section added to the Android version of the Netflix app, as well as the fact that my children watch much more Netflix than I do.
It isn’t clear whether everything on Netflix is available for download or just select titles, but so far most of my favourites are accounted for.
Airplane mode. Road trip mode. Stuck-in-the-subway-for-20-minutes mode. Your favorite stories are now available for download any time. pic.twitter.com/g7QZA3TyE8
— Netflix US (@netflix) November 30, 2016
Comments
11 responses to “Netflix Adds Downloads For Your Offline Viewing Pleasure”
This seems exploitable. What’s the catch?
A really small library of things you’re allowed to download?
No more exploitable than Spotify etc letting you do the same thing with music, I suppose?
It’s mobile only which I guess makes it hard to extract the files and distribute them online, but that’s not really a “catch” for me, since I only want the ability to view files offline so I have something to do on the train apart from shitposting on twitter. I don’t need to watch files offline when I’m at home and have my regular internet connection.
Had juuust enough time this morning to update the app and get two episodes of the Expanse before leaving for work, which is the perfect amount of TV for my commute.
I though so too. Normally at the least they try to block phones which have root access from using the app.
But nope, my rooted Android phone can use the app without issue and download shows. Haven’t tried looking as to what format the shows are stored on the phone in [they’ve likely got some DRM on the file format], but that’s not why I have root access on my device.
I reckon it will be limited to their own shows as the existing licensing deals probably don’t cover this.
You’d be incorrect. While Netflix originals are a no-brainer, there’s quite a lot of content in the “available for download” tab that’s been added to the app. I’d be interested to see a comprehensive list of what is and isn’t available though.
Looks like they had this planned for some time then. Well kept secret until the day of release.
Guessing it will a) only be available on tablets and phones b) only be Netflix Originals for the foreseeable future and c) only allow offline for either 720p or 1080p content…
Would have been the perfect thing to allow Aussies with typical ADSL connections to kind of “buffer” 4K shows on their Smart TV’s / Players…. though you’d likely need a pretty big external hard drive connected to make the most of it!
Oop, now there’s an article covering it 😛
http://www.gizmodo.com.au/2016/12/everything-you-need-to-know-about-netflix-downloads/
Also checking in after a quick squiz.
Few odd choices to allow for download.
I mean, sure, I’ll try Black Mirror episodes, but was hoping for Luke Cage. Stranger Things didn’t exactly show up but I’ve watched that before, and there was the ‘Watch These Again’ list. Perhaps it was towards the back.
I’m also noticing that the ‘Available to Download’ seems to tie into that stupid ‘hey we think you might like this’ stuff, ie you peek at one movie about two women in a relationship, and then Netflix won’t stop with the raunchy movie covers.
Ahem.
Yeah I’m disappointed Luke Cage isn’t included as well.
Really wanted to finish watching it.
Stranger Things you can download which means I can finally get around to watching it.
And Star Trek! Having never been a Trekie when younger being able to watch Voyage and Deep Space Nine will be great!
Hahah yes “peek” at one pf those types of movies.
Actually it’s funny I kind of want to watch Orange is The New Black but I’m a bit scared to watch it on the train because of some of the scenes. 🙂