While it’s still early to decide on anything, it’s reasonable that Netflix won’t offer an offline viewing option for the ad-supported tier. It’s not just challenging to serve ads in offline mode but also helps Netflix to push users to upgrade to a pricier plans.
Netflix Ad-Tier is Hard For Commuters
After disappointing Q1 results, Netflix decided to be more brutal in getting its subscribers back. Few plans it announced in this pursuit are cracking down on password sharing and introducing an ad-tier plan with low cost. As we wait to see how it’ll be, a new finding from the developer Steve Moser revealed that – Netflix’s ad-tier plan wouldn’t come with an offline viewing mode! He found references to this in the Netflix iPhone app as “Downloads available on all plans except Netflix with ads.” This seemed reasonable, as it’d be challenging for Netflix (or any other platform) to serve ads in offline mode – which is the essence of this tier. Talking to TechCrunch, Netflix neither confirmed nor denied this setting; The platform’s Chief Content Officer, Ted Sarandos, has already said in the past that the ad tier won’t have all the Netflix’s catalog, but only some! They’re still in the process of negotiating deals with studios to be able to offer their shows and movies with ads. Plus, restricting certain content and the features like offline viewing may let Netflix push users to upgrade to a better plan. This decision will put Netflix on par with Hulu and HBO Max, who also restricted the download button for their ad-tier plans.
