Netflix Extends Unlimited Online Streaming to Nearly All Customers
Sun Jan 13, 2008 10:53PM EST
See Comments (15)
Some say it's because of a potential threat from Apple. I say it's just a smart business decision: Netflix is making its impressive "Watch Instantly" service available to almost all of its customers, while removing the hourly limits it places on how much consumers can watch. (Three-discs-at-once viewers, for example, were previously limited to 17 hours of viewing a month.)
The only customers who won't get the option are those at the very lowest level of Netflix's service option: Those paying $4.99 for two rentals a month. For everyone else, it's all you can eat.
Things will get even more interesting when LG's Netflix-ready set-top box arrives later this year, giving viewers the option to watch streaming movies on a TV instead of their PC.
How does Apple figure into it? Many expect the company to launch a service to revive its nearly useless Apple TV business, selling movie rentals for $3.99 while requiring they be viewed within 24 hours. If true, that would make Apple's service the most expensive and the most restrictive online rental service on the market. (Even Amazon's failed Unbox rental service offers 30-day rentals, many at 99 cents or $1.99.) We'll hear the truth on Tuesday when Steve Jobs makes his annual January announcements.
Kudos to Netflix for such an impressive and game-changing move! Stay tuned for additional details as they're available (including coverage of Jobs' MacWorld keynote.)
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2 Posted by muscogeekid on Mon Jan 14, 2008 8:16AM EST Report Abuse
I'm also a Netflix member, and I love it. But hold on. The download service has only 6,000 shows available. That may sound like a lot, but, as cassie accurately points out, the vast majority of them are old B-movies and TV shows. The list isn't stellar. I also give kudos to Netflix, but I'd like to see them beef up their selection of downloads.
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3 Posted by hedo4three2002 on Mon Jan 14, 2008 12:22PM EST Report Abuse
To the previous posts, its an add on service with no additinal costs (for us already at the 3 out at a time rate) so they kind of a get a free ride at the selection they offer us. I assume there are probably some issues with the studios of streaming everything or increased costs on their side. But at least they are setting the basis for a media free world which we are eventually going to have. Hint: Wifi HDTVs'
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4 Posted by rogueist on Mon Jan 14, 2008 2:11PM EST Report Abuse
Awesome! Now if they can only get the library of titles up to about 250,000 or so we could have some choices...
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5 Posted by jon655 on Mon Jan 14, 2008 11:05PM EST Report Abuse
Tried it today and it works fine. Will stick to disc rentals for high quality viewing but this is ok for old tv shows etc. and a great alternative to network TV. Ultimate "background" TV if you like?"
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1 Posted by cassie_g2002 on Sun Jan 13, 2008 11:37PM EST Report Abuse
I'm a member of Netflix, and I downloaded the player twice, but have been unable to watch any movies. I don't know if Vista compatibility is to blame, or they have a corrupt file or what. Most of the movies I saw listed where older movies as well, not many new releases. Maybe I'll try downloading it, yet again...