Netflix has managed to annoy a good number of its users with an announcement about an upcoming update to its Windows 11 (and Windows 10) app: support for adverts and live events will be added, but the ability to download content is being taken away.

Netflix must realize that it’s a huge frustration for people who relied on offline downloads to watch content without internet access: on planes, trains, and campsites, and anywhere else where Wi-Fi is unavailable or unreliable.

There’s a small chance that Netflix will change its mind if it gets enough complaints, but the streaming service seems determined to add as many money-making features as possible, while taking away genuinely useful ones.

  • banana_lama@lemm.ee
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    6 months ago

    Took me a minute to figure out why these 2 updates would be bundled together. Must be cause if you downloaded something you’d be able to bypass their ads

    • supermarkus@startrek.website
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      6 months ago

      Must be cause if you downloaded something you’d be able to bypass their ads

      They could also download the ads. People on an ad-supported subscription tier would probably expect that those are there.

      • banana_lama@lemm.ee
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        6 months ago

        The ad design could link to the products and out of Netflix. So they wouldn’t get clicks

        Idk I didn’t have expertise in this space