Those who watch Netflix mainly on their phones will really like Netflix's new plan. The video streaming service has announced a mobile-only streaming tier that's cheaper than its current tier offerings. Problem is, it's going to be available only in India, or at least for now.
The launch follows Netflix's testing of the new plan in a few countries earlier this year. With it, users can get full access to Netflix's entire library for cheaper. Given that this is a mobile-only streaming plan, the drawback is that those users won't be able to watch their shows or movies on the bigger screen.
Netflix Mobile-Only Plan
Netflix aims to launch the plan in India during the third quarter, adding that it "will be an effective way to introduce a larger number of people in India to Netflix and to further expand our business in a market where Pay TV ARPU (average revenue per user) is low (below $5)."
It's not clear whether Netflix has plans to roll this new tier out to other countries beyond India. The company announced it alongside financial results that revealed a significant miss on customer growth, way off Netflix's predictions. In the United States, for instance, Netflix actually lost subscribers. Though it brought in 2.7 million new users, this is far lower than its forecast of 5 million. Netflix blamed the dip on price hikes and an insufficient content slate. Which is why it makes sense for the company to offer a cheaper plan.
Netflix says it will continue to "learn more" after the launch of this plan, with regard to where else it might become available. At the moment, Netflix's most basic plan limits video stream quality to just 480p, or standard definition. There are no further details available yet, but it's safe to assume the mobile-only plan, given that it's cheaper than Netflix's offerings, will be locked to the same resolution, if not a lower one. It's not clear what qualifies as "mobile" in this context.
Phones are of course in. But what about tablets? Or the iPad? Will they count as mobile devices? Netflix has yet to clarify such uncertainties, but make sure to check back with Tech Times as we learn more.
Is It Coming To The US?
There's no word yet on the possibility of Netflix launching the plan stateside, although it's an unlikely possibility. By the looks of it, Netflix is targeting developing markets at the moment. Even if the plan is headed to U.S. shores, Netflix might prioritize other countries first.
