TL;DR
- Netflix will allow ad-tier subscribers to download shows and movies starting by the end of this week.
- This will make the service the first to offer the feature for an ad-supported plan.
- Binge watchers on this plan who have watched three episodes in a row won’t be shown an ad on the fourth consecutive episode starting next year.
It’s been a year since Netflix’s ad-supported plan went live, and the company is getting ready to add some new features. In the near future, subscribers will be able to download shows and movies, as well as see fewer ads — if you binge-watch a series.
In a blog post published today, Netflix looks back at the launch of its ad-supported plan and what’s to come down the line. According to company, it plans on giving ad-tier subscribers the ability to download shows and movies starting by the end of this week. Netflix claims that it will be the first streaming service to offer this feature to its ad-tier subscribers.
Something else these subscribers will be able to look forward to is fewer ads. In Q1 2024, the company says it will introduce a new binge ad format. If a user watches three consecutive episodes in a row, this format will kick off, allowing the user to see the fourth episode ad-free.
While these features will probably come as welcomed changes, you may be annoyed in a new way. It appears the streamer also plans on expanding its title sponsorships. This means you’ll see more preroll ads stating that so and so is “brought to you by [brand name].” The company also announced it has rolled out the ability to run 10, 20, and 60-second ads globally — initially, it was only 15 and 30 seconds.
This announcement arrives on the heels of price hikes to the Basic and Premium tiers. Fortunately, the ad-based and Standard tier was sparred from the bump.
