Netflix certainly took its time before finally introducing offline viewing of its content and was clearly prodded by the feature's availability in the Amazon Prime platform. Now, it is Hulu's turn to play catch-up after the company announced that subscribers will also be able to download content in a few months' time.
Hulu Offline Viewing
It is not yet clear what kind of work is entailed in offering the download feature but Mike Hopkins, Hulu's CEO, stated that the company's developers are working hard on the technology.
Aside from coding and all the work involved in tweaking the platform to add another appendage, Hulu is also most likely occupied with the licensing challenge as well. Apple Insider noted that the terms for streaming and downloading content are different so negotiations are believed to be underway.
Whatever the case is, the download feature should be a done deal if only for the fact that Netflix has been catapulted to the top of the list of most downloaded iPhone apps when its own offline viewing feature was launched. If Hulu does not want to be left holding the bag, it should be rolling out this feature as soon as possible.
On The Hulu Overhaul
That being said, we can now shift to an equally interesting development at Hulu, which is the ongoing revamp of its user interface.
Besides the visual changes, the expanded support for user profiles for those using its iOS app could be considering one of the offshoots of the overhaul.
This feature is mainly aimed at couples and families, those who would like to keep separate playlists, histories, recommendations, and content. It will also allow the restriction of content, which should appeal to parents concerned about children's exposure to violent and offensive material.
Hulu 2017 Lineup
Competing media streaming platforms have been declaring an improved 2017 lineup and Hulu claims that its subscribers can also expect to find a beefier library this year. This will be true in the case of its original content. For example, The Handmaid's Tale starring Elizabeth Moss will premiere on April 26. Hulu seems quite enthusiastic about the prospect of this content.
"For us, it's great existing intellectual property. The writing was fantastic, the cast is amazing, and it looks great," Hopkins told AdWeek. "We think it has all of those pieces, and we couldn't be more happy with where it is right now. And we can't wait to get it out to the public."
Hulu has also successfully acquired the rights to stream outstanding content such as The Golden Girls, which will be available next month. The company also caused a stir when it agreed to stream The Mindy Project and Nashville to keep them from getting canceled.
