Netflix to let users download movies, TV series before year-end

Netflix has time and again admitted that one of the most requested features by users is the ability to download episodes and watch them later. But the company has stayed away from it, claiming that it would create a ‘paradox of choice’. Now, however, Netflix seems to be giving in to the demands, and users will soon be able to download episodes and movies.The download feature could be available before the end of this year. This is according to Dan Taitz, CEO at Penthera,

A downloading feature was never a priority for Netflix, and in an interview last year, Netflix chief product officer Neil Hunt explained the reason why. It has to do with a psychological term called ‘paradox of choice’, which would create anxiety among Netflix users. company that helps video streaming providers let viewers download content.


YouTube too launched offline viewing feature in India, wherein users can download a video on their device, and within 48 hours can watch it offline as many times they want without the need for an internet connection. Then there is the case of making content available when a user is traveling, where either there is no connectivity (think of a flight) or no Wi-Fi networks

.But since then, Netflix has become a global company with operations in 130 countries.Restrictions on content aside, countries like India do not have internet speeds like in the US, and an offline viewing feature will be a boon.

Even if Netflix does plan on getting users download content for offline viewing, this would mean renegotiating contracts. It could start with content it has produced on its own but it would become confusing for users of only a part of the library can be made available offline and not everything.

source