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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.

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[-] NoIWontPickAName@kbin.earth 270 points 4 months ago

Y’all just need to cancel your Netflix, they are too expensive for far too little

[-] essell@lemmy.world 125 points 4 months ago

Yup.

They told me I could choose between ads and a 35% price rise.

I replied "I have a better idea"

Can honestly say I've not missed out watching anything I wanted to watch

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[-] homesweethomeMrL@lemmy.world 168 points 4 months ago

"What killed streaming?" - article from 2026

[-] Darkard@lemmy.world 115 points 4 months ago* (last edited 4 months ago)

"millennials are killing the streaming industry"

The next season of Bridgerton is cancelled because you selfish millennials wouldn't drink your verification cans

[-] billiam0202@lemmy.world 27 points 4 months ago

Actually, that's probably the one excuse that wouldn't fly. The only company that cancels more stuff randomly and with no reason than Netflix is Google.

[-] snooggums@midwest.social 11 points 4 months ago

All of the major broadcast networks have always canceled stuff as fast as Netflix, maybe faster since they sometimes cancel shows before the first season has completed airing.

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[-] deweydecibel@lemmy.world 35 points 4 months ago* (last edited 4 months ago)

People have been making this comment for so long, with every anti-consumer change, and it's never been true.

Killing VPN usages didn't do it, canceling shows didn't do it, the splintering of offerings across multiple platforms didn't do it, killing password sharing didn't do it, raising prices didn't do it, including an advertising tier didn't do.

And this will not do it.

Hell, this is barely going to tweak the dial. The overwhelming majority of people don't watch Netflix on the desktop app, why should they fear kick back from the few that do? All they'll say is the mobile versions will still let you download (because those file systems are sealed away from the user).

Consumers will accept anything if there's no where else to get what they want. It's why the "free market" has no power in the tech space: consumers are so addicted to their chosen platforms, apps, devices, and services that they will accept literally anything before they entertain the idea of using anything else.

That's partially why enshitification is getting so bad: there's no punishment for it. Users will not move.

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[-] NutWrench@lemmy.world 15 points 4 months ago

Yup. Just surprised Pikachu faces all around at Netflix. "But we were assured by our marketing department that customers would just pay any amout we wanted!"

[-] Aurenkin@sh.itjust.works 13 points 4 months ago

Greed, same as everything else

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[-] soba@lemmy.ca 90 points 4 months ago

And I am set to remove Netflix subscription, while introducing torrents.

Ads are the one thing I won't tolerate on a paid service.

[-] InternetUser2012@midwest.social 20 points 4 months ago

I refuse to pay to watch ads.

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[-] henfredemars@infosec.pub 82 points 4 months ago

Pirated movies don’t have this problem.

I’m just saying, ruin your own service, and lose to pirates who can provide a better one for free.

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[-] DestroyMegacorps@lemmy.ml 76 points 4 months ago

These companies are gonna complain about piracy being so rampant while making their service so awful that piracy becomes a better choice

[-] Kekzkrieger@feddit.de 71 points 4 months ago

I got Netflix stock, and i can tell you guys that stock is just going up and up.

People rly are fking stupid

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[-] InternetPerson@lemmings.world 60 points 4 months ago

Install an android emulator. Problem solved.

Start pirating again. Problem solved.

Make your own movies and shows. Problem solved.

Start a company, get rich, buy Netflix, problem solved.

Stop watching stuff, do something else. Problem solved.

Found a secret society, infiltrate politics worldwide, stir chaos and destruction, let the world burn and built a new Netflix from the world's ashes where you still can download stuff. Problem solved.

See? It's not that hard!

(In case it wasn't clear, I am joking.)

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[-] MoonRaven@feddit.nl 53 points 4 months ago

Meanwhile with piracy, you have none of these issues.... Good job, convenience wins.

[-] InternetPerson@lemmings.world 10 points 4 months ago* (last edited 4 months ago)

There is just that teeny tiny ethical problem of not paying the creators and distributors for something we enjoy. This becomes a practical problem as well. If they make less money, it's likely that even more movies or series get killed or never even started.

Idk what to do.

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[-] extremeboredom@lemmy.world 51 points 4 months ago
[-] WeLoveCastingSpellz@lemmy.dbzer0.com 49 points 4 months ago

its like they want you to turn to piracy

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[-] j4yt33@feddit.de 46 points 4 months ago

They've gone full circle at this point: it's like paying for TV channels and piracy is looking really attractive again, even though Netflix was the reason many people stopped doing that initially (I assume)

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[-] banana_lama@lemm.ee 40 points 4 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

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[-] frostysauce@lemmy.world 40 points 4 months ago

So they are introducing ads and removing the download option, both moves unfriendly to consumers. Sounds like they plan to do a "We've listened to consumers and" shelving one of those moves for later (probably the download option) when the hubbub over the worse option dies down.

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[-] Bamboodpanda@lemmy.world 38 points 4 months ago

My wife and I unsubscribed a few months back. I've not noticed.

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[-] sneezycat@sopuli.xyz 38 points 4 months ago

Enshittification follows its course.

[-] gnygnygny@lemm.ee 37 points 4 months ago

A quick reminder : you don't need to watch Netflix.

[-] OpenStars@discuss.online 32 points 4 months ago* (last edited 4 months ago)

"While downloads will no longer be supported, you can continue to watch TV shows and movies offline on a supported mobile device," the Netflix document says

So essentially Windows devices are no longer "supported" wrt this particular feature.

It essentially means the Windows app will be little more than a wrapper for the Netflix website.

It's possible that the move means Netflix can save some money on licensing, which may cost extra if downloads are included – enabling users to take shows and movies around with them and watch them without an internet connection.

So once again everything devolves down to licensing - i.e. it sounds like they were pressured into this hard choice to leave those users in the cold, which they did. Probably bc the user base of Windows phones is so tiny? (Edit: bc they are discontinued, though more likely they meant the desktop - i.e. laptops - sorry if I caused any confusion).

Though that is one of the main advantages of Netflix these days, as opposed to e.g. piracy.

TLDR: Ultimately it is yet more enshittification, and while due to licensing rather than Netflix, still it is Netflix users (on Windows devices) who will bear the burden.

My advice would be to disable automatic updates and coast for a long while on the current app version, though that can be easier said than done due to multiple locations of automatic update settings. I have zero experience with Windows lately, but good luck if you want to try it!:-|

[-] Chronographs@lemmy.zip 16 points 4 months ago

If there’s still downloads available on mobile it’s probably not licensing. Iirc the downloads were only available in shit quality anyways so as always, pirating is a better experience.

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[-] slaacaa@lemmy.world 28 points 4 months ago

Capitalism breeds innovation

[-] nutsack@lemmy.world 27 points 4 months ago* (last edited 4 months ago)

this is part of the reason why the stock market does what its doing

my internet is too shitty to watch without downloading though so it's not because of me

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[-] CaptainBasculin@lemmy.ml 25 points 4 months ago

How is this not considered false advertising? They literally market offline viewing as a feature

[-] FangedWyvern42@lemmy.world 23 points 4 months ago

Guess people are gonna have to sail the seven seas.

[-] BigTrout75@lemmy.world 22 points 4 months ago

This is no big deal because Windows users are used to ads. Sorry feeling snarky.

[-] Aurenkin@sh.itjust.works 21 points 4 months ago

Guess it's time to use the other download feature.

[-] AgentGrimstone@lemmy.world 20 points 4 months ago

Netflix living long enough to become the villain I see

[-] uriel238 20 points 4 months ago

The people on your man o' war
Are treated worse than scum
I'm no flogging captain
And by God I've sailed with some
Come with me to Barbary
We'll ply there up and down
Not quite exactly
In the service of the Crown

🏴‍☠️

[-] cdf12345@lemm.ee 19 points 4 months ago

🏴‍☠️ 🏴‍☠️ 🏴‍☠️

[-] Freuks@lemmy.ml 18 points 4 months ago
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[-] Scrollone@feddit.it 14 points 4 months ago

I'm laughing in Plex

[-] ANIMATEK@lemmy.world 14 points 4 months ago

I just hope this does not affect WEB-DLs 🥲

[-] SaltySalamander@fedia.io 20 points 4 months ago

It won't. This isn't how WEB-DLs are produced.

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this post was submitted on 18 May 2024
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