Netflix rolls out a new mobile data-saving feature to give users everywhere the power to control video quality and stay within the budget of their plans.
Right off the bat, the updated app for Android and iOS will have the Cellular Data Usage setting in the mix. There, viewers can set their personal preferences — turn off the automatic option and pick between Off (Wi-Fi only), Low, Medium, High and Unlimited.
The two choices on each end of the selection are pretty straightforward already: Off (Wi-Fi only) doesn't use cellular data, while Unlimited goes to town with it. Needless to say, the latter is only recommended for subscribers who doesn't have a ceiling on their plans.
As for the rest, Low provides four hours' worth of viewing per gigabyte, Medium offers two hours and High goes for one hour.
According to Netflix, the default setting lets streamers watch about three hours of video for each gigabyte, pointing out that it provides a good balance between quality and regulated data usage.
To access Cellular Data Usage, just click on the navigation drawer on the upper left corner, tap on App Settings and voila, the control is right at the users' fingertips.
The takeaway here is that Netflix is handing over the reins to the viewers in terms of video quality. That means users on unlimited data plans can go crazy on binge-watching in high definition, and those on caps can also do so in less stellar conditions.
"Our goal is to give you more control and greater choice in managing your data usage whether you're on an unlimited mobile plan or one that's more restrictive," Eddy Wu, director of product innovation at Netflix, says.
On that note, it's worth mentioning that Netflix is part of T-Mobile's Binge On shindig, a program that lets subscribers watch videos to their hearts' content. However, the streams are limited to 480p under this.
What do you think of Netflix's new mobile data-saving feature? Let us know in the comments section below and feel free to tell us what TV series or movies you're going to binge-watch.
