Netflix with Ads Launches Nov. 3

[upnorth]

Content source

https://arstechnica.com/information-technology/2022/10/netflix-with-ads-launches-nov-3-will-be-missing-up-to-10-of-netflix-catalog/

Netflix is launching a $6.99-per-month version that includes four or five minutes of ads per hour and video quality that tops out at 720p. The new "Basic with Ads" option, to be available starting November 3, will also have up to 10 percent fewer movies and TV shows than the pricier tiers.

"In short, Basic with Ads is everything people love about Netflix, at a lower price, with a few ads in-between," Netflix COO Greg Peters wrote in an announcement today. Ads will be 15 or 30 seconds in length and will be shown before and during shows and movies, the announcement said. Basic with Ads will have an "average of 4 to 5 minutes of ads per hour," and won't provide the ability to download videos.

While Basic with Ads won't have all the shows and movies available on ad-free plans, Netflix said that's due to licensing conflicts and could change in the future. "A limited number of movies and TV shows won't be available due to licensing restriction, which we're working on," Netflix said. The announcement didn't say which content will be missing, but it could impact up to 10 percent of shows and movies.

Netflix with ads launches Nov. 3, will be missing up to 10% of Netflix catalog

$7 plan to have 5 minutes of ads per hour, 720p quality limit, and no downloads.

arstechnica.com

 

[TedCruz]

Netflix with ads launches Nov. 3, will be missing up to 10% of Netflix catalog

$7 plan to have 5 minutes of ads per hour, 720p quality limit, and no downloads.

arstechnica.com

And so it begins. ...... If anyone remembers the 80s and the offer of commercial free, paid cable service?! You got cable because you didn't want to watch commercials on the over the air TV. That lasted for a few years and then commercials slowly slowly creeped into cable, and now it's basically the same as over the air TV. So their fired off premium channels HBO, Cinemax, showtime etc. That has thankfully stayed commercial free (for now). I am thinking we are on a very slippery slope.

More recent example is Hulu. First a commercial free answer to network TV but as a streaming service. Then a Hulu with 1 ad and then 3 ads at 3x times during the show period, for the regular version so you had to purchase premium Hulu in order to have just 1ad at the beginning, but then it became few ads at beginning so premium+ was born for no ads. I gave up on Hulu in 2014 so I don't know what came after that.

 

[Sorrento]

Most UK channels are supported by commercials & have been for decades, the only Ad free free channels are BBC which are funded (begrudgingly) by the UK public - I pay for the top tier Netflix a least for now & it is not cheap - If you want Netflix for much less than half what I pay you now get ad's also a quite low quality, I suppose that will suit many people - People who watch YouTube must be well used to adverts?

 

[TedCruz]

Most UK channels are supported by commercials & have been for decades, the only Ad free free channels are BBC which are funded (begrudgingly) by the UK public - I pay for the top tier Netflix a least for now & it is not cheap - If you want Netflix for much less than half what I pay you now get ad's also a quite low quality, I suppose that will suit many people - People who watch YouTube must be well used to adverts?

I lived in Europe for quite some time and European Advertising (at least when I lived there) style is totally different than a US one.

In Europe (that I experienced) you either get a bunch of ads at a beginning of the show and then at the end. It was rare to have an ad halfway through a movie, it was just a lot before the movie and a lot after the movie. Whilst in the USA, you get ads every 10 min for 5 min (if the show is under 1 hour) or if it's a movie then you get no ads for the first 20 min of the movie, then an ad for 3 to 5 min, followed by another one 15 min later and then about every 10 min for the last 20 min of the movie. It's annoying as heck.

 

[TairikuOkami]

I lived in Europe for quite some time and European Advertising (at least when I lived there) style is totally different than a US one.

Not anymore, 2 hours long movie takes 4 hours because of ads. Then again I can not relate, I have not watched TV in a decade because of that.

 

[upnorth]

Netflix's newest offering, a $7-per-month "Basic with Ads" plan, comes with inherent compromises: five minutes of ads per hour, one device at a time, no downloads, 720p resolution, and some unavailable content. But there are also several device compatibility issues, including new devices.

On Netflix's help center page for people encountering the error "Basic with Ads is not supported," Netflix notes that "Basic with Ads isn't supported on Apple TV." "You'll need to upgrade your Netflix plan to the Basic, Standard, or Premium plan," Netflix advises, or else "use a different device." That last bit links to Netflix's list of officially supported devices, which unhelpfully shows an Apple TV logo with no footnotes or other details about its limitations. Netflix told 9to5 Mac in a statement that Apple TV support is "coming soon." The same is true for any Chromecast except the newest model, Chromecast with Google TV. "Basic with Ads is supported only on Chromecast with Google TV," Netflix states, meaning that any model bought before September 2022—like the 4K version Google sold until then— is out of luck.

Beyond those large holes in Netflix's coverage for "your favorite devices," there are other devices and apps that won't support a cheaper ad-infused plan:

• iOS devices not updated to iOS 15 or later
• Android devices on versions earlier than 7
• The PlayStation 3
• The Netflix app for Windows

Netflix’s ad-supported plan doesn’t work on Apple TV, “older” Chromecasts, PS3

Some brand-new and months-old devices don't currently work with ads.

arstechnica.com

 

[Sammo]

Many programs and movies are not available in the ad supported version. Check Netflix for a list.