If you, like me, have been wondering when Netflix is finally going to get around to allowing offline viewing, so we can stock up our iPad when traveling, the answer would appear to be: not anytime soon. When Gizmodo asked the company why, when Amazon Instant Video does so, a company spokesman gave the unconvincing reply that it thinks we can’t handle the awesome complexity of clicking a download button.
According to Neil Hunt, Netflix’s Chief Product Officer, Netflix users won’t be able to handle the complexity the added choice will bring […]
“Undoubtedly it adds considerable complexity to your life with Amazon Prime – you have to remember that you want to download this thing. It’s not going to be instant, you have to have the right storage on your device, you have to manage it, and I’m just not sure people are actually that compelled to do that, and that it’s worth providing that level of complexity.”
There’s also the content owners who may not have stipulated that their content can be downloaded. Hunt didn’t discuss that but its likely a big concern.
There is some small hope of being able to view Netflix content when traveling, says Hunt.
As an example, what if we can put Netflix in a rack box that essentially contains all of Netflix content that you could imagine putting in an airplane server, right along with our existing offerings? That for me is a more interesting thing; can we make Netflix work on a plane, can we make it work on a train, in hotels?
But that seems to me a ridiculous way to offer a half-assed solution, and it’s merely an idea, not a plan.
Hunt did make one good point: not all of Amazon’s content is available for downloading, and it can be frustrating when one show is and another isn’t. Amazon already has enough issues with its seemingly-random selection of videos available to Prime members on desktop but not mobile, mobile but not desktop or only for purchase.
But with Netflix increasingly focusing on producing exclusive content, it could at least make a decent start by offering its own shows available for downloading.
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I live in an area where the internet connection is usually OK, but frequently unreliable and slow, especially in the evenings. Streaming can be a bit hit or miss so downloading is always the preferred option because once it’s stored in my computer, I know that I will be able to watch the show without it stalling.
It’s no problem at all planning viewing in advance, but it’s very irritating to start watching something and then to have to abandon it because the connection isn’t holding up. I have a whole bunch of Netflix content that was started, but stalled and it didn’t seem worth going back to watch the ending at a later date.
Obviously it’s not the fault of Netflix that my internet connection is poor, but I do resent them refusing to offer the option of downloading, which would completely solve the problem for me.
About a decade ago, way before there was Netflix (maybe about the time when Netflix was getting started with physical DVDs), there was a thing called Vongo which allowed you to download movies and TV shows to a computer for watching offline as part of a monthly subscription. It seems bizarre that we could handle it then, but apparently now it’s too complex?
Nope.
No downloading. Glad Netflix has the sense.
The BBC iplayer app handles this beautifully. You click a download button and the download times out after a set period and is automatically deleted.
This simplifies the experience hugely for non techs types who don’t want to manage storage. Of course this is partially down to the content on Iplayer constantly changing with content being available for 30 days after the first showing on live TV. But there is no reason this could not work for Netflix. Maybe their problem is the licence from the content providers does not allow local storage?
I would have thought that the BBC iPlayer model could work very well for Netflix. Programmes on iPlayer are available for streaming for 30 days, if you download the programme instead of streaming it, you still have to view it within that 30 day period or else it deletes itself. The implementation is perfectly seamless and if Netflix imagine that it’s too confusing for users, then they are insulting their own customers.
A larger concern is the lack of PIN/passcode on Netflix when setting family profiles up. There’s no point having a separate profile for my kids if they can change to another profile without as much as a PIN number to stop them!
Amazon Video have nailed parental controls… I’m not sure why Netflix won’t implement the same.
C’mon NetFlix!
Viewing offline is a crucial function for us parents. Having the possibility to download content to be viewed when traveling is super important. It’s one button beside Play (Download) and a symbol showing that the film/series or what ever is downloaded.
It would make Netflix much more valuable.
Also, when traveling to our cabin, we have no internet connectivity and that makes Netflix unusable.
Strongly considering opting for other solutions where offline viewing is available.