Netflix Mobile applications for queue management

If you are a Netflix customer, this one may make your life little bit easier. Next time you want to manage your Netflix queue or search for titles while watching TV, you don't have to reach for your laptop or desktop to do so. You can just do that from your mobile. There are few applications available for iPhone, Blackberry and Nokia phones. Using these apps, you can manage your DVD rental queue, search for movies, get recommendations. The Netflix app on Nokia phones can even stream movie trailers via 3G or Wi-Fi. Even though the application is available only on select Nokia models, this is definitely a right move from Netflix to reach out for more customers. This means we can expect Netflix streaming to mobile phones in the future!

Netflix Nokia mobile app

iPhlix mobile app for iPhone

 

PhoneFlicks mobile app for iPhone (free)

 

Hollywood studios want you to buy more DVDs

In an attempt to increase profits from the already declining DVD sales, Hollywood studios are planning to keep new DVD releases away from movie rental services like Netflix, Redbox and Blockbuster as many as 30 days. By doing so, studios are expecting that people would buy more DVDs instead of renting them (at least in that 30 day period). While Blockbuster and Netflix seem to be agreeing to this new mandate from Hollywood studios, Redbox is fighting the proposal as it would negatively impact their business model. Redbox has a reason to oppose this proposal more than Netflix or Blockbuster as majority of it's revenues come from new DVD releases. Netflix and Blockbuster seem to agree to this proposal as most of their revenues come from old DVD rentals and Hollywood studios are willing to offer them huge discounts on new DVD releases.

While this apparent decision by Netflix and Blockbuster may boost their profits in short-term it would affect their business model in long-term as people would try to avoid this moratorium by waiting 30 more days for the DVDs to be available for rental or Looking for ways to download/watch illegal copies of movies.With an average period of 3-5 months between theatrical release and DVD release, people may decide to wait 30 more days to rent the DVDs instead of shelling out $20 or so to buy them when they are available. Also, penalizing movie rental customers to wait while making DVDs available for sale will make more people to look for options like illegal downloading.

As digital download/online rental  is becoming more popular, studios and movie rental services should find ways to make them more mainstream and affordable instead of forcing customers to pay more for their movie watching experience at home.

Netflix one step closer to conquer your living room

Over the weekend, Netflix announced that PS3 owners soon will be able to watch Netflix's streaming content. This is an interesting announcement from Netflix, considering the fact that their streaming service is already available on XBox and they are using Silverlight technology from Microsoft in their players. PS3 now joins the long list of devices that support Netflix's streaming: Roku player, Tivo player, XBox 360, LG/Samsung/Insignia Blu-ray players, LG/Sony/Vizio HDTVs, LG/Samsung Blu-ray Home Theatre Systems, Windows and Mac computers. This will help Netflix get more gaming customers subscribe to their service with the possibility of starting their own game rental service to PS3/XBox community (Beware, Gamefly!).

Next step for Netflix would be to provide the streaming service to Mobile users. An iPhone app that can start playing the show that is paused before. Also, the ability to edit 'instant queue' from the Mobile app or TV remote. I see three hurdles associated with this Netflix iPhone/Mobile app. i) iPhone compatible player technology [either Microsoft should make Silverlight iPhone/Mobile ready or Netflix should abandon her bedfellow for a while and go with different player technology for Mobiles ii) Bandwidth - While you may enjoy the streaming content on a 3G mobile, content streaming to 2.5G mobiles will not yield desired results. iii) Apple's reluctance to host such an app, as it would cut into it's iTunes service.

As the ever increasing customer base demands more quality, Netflix would have to improve it's streaming service by providing more 'new' movies to the "watch now" list and improving the stream quality. Improving stream quality is costly and time consuming. The quality of a typical streaming content falls between that of DVD and broadcast HD content (depending on your internet speed). Also, at present, streaming does not support multi-channel audio (just stereo) or closed captioning. The devices that come pre-installed with Netflix streaming service are capable of 1080p. So, Netflix's should aim at providing atleast broadcast HD quality content through the streaming service in order to keep the new customers coming to them.