What used to be an absolute no is soon to be a probably so. The Netflix Chief Product Officer said in an interview in 2008 that downloadable content is not going to happen even though it’s one of the most requested options. He said this is due in part to the psychological notion of the “Paradox of Choice” that basically says if there are too many choices then the consumer will have the paralysis of analysis and have anxiety over choosing between those choices. A statement earlier this year by Netflix CEO Reed Hastings during the Netflix Q1 Earnings Interview basically lead everyone to believe it’s a huge possibility. As for this choice it seems simple: Take the red pill Netflix! Let’s see how deep this rabbit hole really goes!
However it seems that Netflix is being a little standoffish about the subject of downloadable content. “While our focus remains on delivering a great streaming experience, we are always exploring ways to make the service better,” says Netflix spokesperson Anne Marie Squeo. But she adds, “We don’t have anything to add at this time.”
For everyone wanting downloadable content, that statement does not mean no, it means maybe. And maybe is good enough to hold out hope for downloadable movies like Lethal Weapon and TV series like Blacklist. While Netflix is on the list for T-Mobile’s free video streaming Binge On!, wouldn’t it be nice to download an entire season to your tablet and watch without buffering?
Of course we all know Netflix downloads would be limited by the agreements they have with the individual studios as to whether or not they will allow downloads. On the other hand, Netflix has created its own content and we have to assume all of that content would be available for download because Netflix owns those videos. So all you House of Cards, Orange is the New Black, and Bloodline fans should be able to binge watch all of those shows even when you’re offline. As the list of Netflix created content grows the value of downloadable videos will become even more valuable to consumers. Whether it’s called Netflix Offline or something entirely different I am looking forward to it being a reality.
Love the idea of Netflix downloadable videos? Let us know in the comments below, or on Google+, Facebook, or Twitter.
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