What the Netflix app code suggests about the platform’s future ad-supported plan
We have known since April that Netflix is working on offering a cheaper plan with ads . A plan that yes, will cost less, but that will involve certain sacrifices. For one thing, not all content will be available on this plan . On the other hand, there are indications in the code of the app that suggest that it will not be possible to download the content to view it offline either .
This has been made known by Steve Moser , iOS developer, who claims to have found a series of lines in the Netflix app that say the following: ” Downloads available on all plans, except Netflix with ads .” In a nutshell, and if all goes as it seems, Netflix’s ad-supported plan will have ads, less content, and won’t allow you to download movies and series.
From Xataka we have contacted Netflix to find out its position and a spokesperson for the company has said the following : “We are still in the early stages of deciding how to launch a lower priced option with advertising support, but the company does not No decision has been made in this regard. Therefore, at this time, it is only speculation.”
That this warning was found in the code of the Netflix app is curious, but not surprising. In July 2022 (just a few weeks ago), Netflix conducted a survey of its users to ask them how much they would be willing to pay in exchange for seeing / not seeing advertising.
In that survey, Netflix gave the options in the table below and, back then, the survey suggested that plans with ads would not allow content to be downloaded . It was a tentative survey, surely to know the opinion of the market, but it already hinted that the downloads would not be available.
SCHEDULE 1
PLAN 2
PLAN 3
SCHEDULE 4
PRICE
€1.99
€7.99
€1.99
€12.99
VIDEO QUALITY
480p
1080p
1080p
480p
SIMULTANEOUS STREAMING
1
4
two
two
DOWNLOADS
Yes
Nope
Yes
Nope
ADVERTISEMENTS
Nope
Yes
Yes
Nope
SCHEDULE 1
PLAN 2
PLAN 3
SCHEDULE 4
PRICE
€22.49
€5.99
€17.99
€3.99
VIDEO QUALITY
4K+HDR
4K+HDR
1080p
4K+HDR
SIMULTANEOUS STREAMING
4
4
1
1
DOWNLOADS
Yes
Nope
Yes
Nope
ADVERTISEMENTS
Nope
Yes
Yes
Nope
On the other hand, Moser has found lines of code that suggest the app will guide the user in some way to configure the ad experience . These lines say the following:
Now, let’s set up your ad experience.”
“We just need a few details to make sure you get the most relevant ads on Netflix. It’ll be real quick, we promise!”
We’ll have to wait to see firsthand what Netflix’s ad-supported plan is like, what resolutions it supports, how many devices, and what content is (and isn’t) available. What we do know is that Netflix partnered with Microsoft as a global ad sales and technology partner.