After Netflix co-CEO Ted Sarandos June confirmation That an ad-supported layer is coming to the service, the company today released details of its new Basic subscription plan with ads.
Netflix Basic with Ads costs $6.99 / £4.99 per month when it launches on November 3 in the US and UK. The tier will also be available in Australia, Brazil, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Korea, Mexico and Spain, with Canada and Spain each getting a head start with a November 1 launch.
According to Netflix’s blog about the ad-supported tier, the new offer will have no impact on the pricing of its current plans, which range from $9.99 to $19.99 per month in the US and £10.99 to £15.99 in the US. United kingdom.
The post indicated that ads will be 15 or 30 seconds long, and will appear before and during the streaming programmes. Generally, viewers can expect to see 4 to 5 minutes of ads per hour. Similar to the service’s current base plan, video quality will be limited to 720p HD instead of 4K with HDR available in the Premium tier.
Not all current software will be available at the ad-supported level “due to licensing restrictions,” according to Netlix. Regarding the number of banned shows, the company estimates that “about 5% to 10% of the total software will not be available depending on the country.”
Share Netflix too confirm our concerns Users of the Basic with Ads tier will not be able to download offers, which is the ability offered to its Basic, Standard and Premium subscribers.
Analysis: Netflix with ads was inevitable
We cannot say that we did not expect this to happen. For the past year or two, Netflix has been struggling to keep up with new streaming competition from Disney, HBO, and other entertainment giants. The company’s subscriber base declined in the first half of 2022, which caused layoffs and canceled productions that were in progress, particularly in the animation category.
Netlix’s new ad-supported plan arrives just a month before launch Disney+ ad supported tierWhich, at $7.99, would represent a pricier option for those looking to contain home-flow costs amid persistent inflation and economic stress.
For some viewers, deleting shows from the ad-supported tier may be a deal breaker since many subscribers rely on a post about a particular show. Yes, not everyone probably wants to watch Jeffrey Dahmer tapesbut the inability to broadcast Weird things or Seinfeld After paying a monthly fee? No thank you!
Not being able to download shows will also be an issue since many people take advantage of this feature to watch shows while on the go or other travel in environments where Wi-Fi or cellular services can be intermittent. Getting more cash for one of Netflix’s higher-priced ad-free tiers solves that problem of course, but you’ll then be back for paying a premium.
With the addition of the new plan, Netflix is now just like any other streaming service that likes to stick its shows with ads. This move may bring new subscribers to the company, but it certainly won’t help differentiate it.
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