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Netflix testing out a mobile-only app

  • 24 April 2019
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Netflix testing out a mobile-only app
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Netflix is testing out a new mobile-only app that costs half as much as a full subscription. Here’s everything we know about the trial.

A good Netflix binge can be the perfect way to while away a rainy afternoon, and with rumours circulating around price rises for the beloved streaming service, it’s welcome news that they’re also testing a new mobile-only app, which would cost up to half the price of a normal package.

What is the mobile-only Netflix app?


It’s a version of Netflix aimed at users watching on their mobile phones. In a statement to The Verge, Netflix said “We are always looking for ways to make Netflix more enjoyable and accessible. We will be testing different options in select countries, where members can, for example, watch Netflix on their mobile device for a lower price and subscribe in shorter increments of time.”
The last part is interesting because it could mean they start offering lower priced weekly or bi-weekly subscriptions, alongside the monthly plans already available.

Can I get the Netflix mobile-only app?


At the moment it’s being looked at in India, and has previously been rolled out in Malaysia, There, the basic package costs £6 a month, with the mobile-only version costing around £3, so it’s a good indication of what we could expect to see if the app gets a good response in the testing phase.
The release in India makes sense. Black Mirror: Bandersnatch was a huge hit there, and so Netflix are also looking into more original Indian content, aiming to double the production every year. What we have to bear in mind for the mobile app though, is that it’s just a test, so we might never see a full version rolled out anywhere else.

So, when can we expect the app to become global?


Netflix are keeping their cards close to their chest on this one. There’s lots of non-committal statements floating around about different options being tested in different countries, but the company has highlighted that “not everyone will see these options and we may never roll out these specific plans beyond the tests”. While that doesn’t make it sound very hopeful, India is a big market so that’s a good indication that this test could be a bigger deal than others rolled out recently.

What would you most like to see from a Netflix mobile-only app? Let us know in the comments, while we chill and wait to see what unfolds.

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