Netflix Announces 'Smart Downloads' Feature Coming to iOS Later This Year

[MacRumors]

Netflix has announced a new feature launching for Android smartphones and tablets today, and coming to iOS devices later this year, called "Smart Downloads." With this turned on, the Netflix app will automatically delete the downloaded episode of a show that you've finished watching offline, and replace it by automatically downloading the next episode in line (via BuzzFeed News).

The company says this will help to save space on smartphones and tablets while ensuring that users can keep binges going without having to search through the app's menus for the next episode they want to watch offline. Netflix explains that Smart Downloads are only activated when users are connected to Wi-Fi and are done with an episode.

"Downloading is a very manual process today," Netflix director of product innovation Cameron Johnson told BuzzFeed News. "And you have to manually go back and delete episodes."

How is this useful? Imagine you download an episode or two of Stranger Things at home and watch it on the subway ride to work. Once you connect to your office WiFi, Netflix will delete the episodes you've already watched and seamlessly download the next one in the background.

If users want to keep an episode downloaded to their device without having to worry about Smart Downloads deleting it, the feature can be turned off as well. Smart Downloads only work for episodic TV shows and will not automatically replace a movie with another similar program.

Netflix first introduced offline downloads in November 2016, allowing viewers to download select shows and films to their devices to watch them during moments when they aren't connected to the internet. Most of Netflix's originals are supported for offline viewing, and all content available for download can be found in the "Search" tab of the Netflix mobile app.

Smart Downloads will launch for iOS devices sometime "later this year."

Article Link: Netflix Announces 'Smart Downloads' Feature Coming to iOS Later This Year

 

[checker2010]

Nice idea. But they can’t do this on iOS.

 

[ArtOfWarfare]

Nice idea. But they can’t do this on iOS.

Why not? Background tasks are allowed to download content on iOS.

 

[Kamion]

Nice idea. But they can’t do this on iOS.

Background Fetch was basically made for this.

 

[adambadamh]

A sort of random aside, but I noticed the other day Netflix is backing up some large portion of the shows you have downloaded to iCloud Backup. Was trying to figure out why my iCloud storage kept spiking and this was the culprit. I turned off Netflix backup for iCloud but wonder why they had this ever enabled to start.

 

[jimbobb24]

So idiot were compmaining to Netflix that they could not download new episodes because they ran out of space unaware that they never deleted the old episodes.

 

[tooloud10]

This is how it should have worked from the beginning. I just want to watch a show, not manually download and delete individual episodes of everything.

 

[sidewinder3000]

Curious why they are implementing this on Android first? I tend to not like or trust companies that are not iOS first (an admitted bias), unless there is a technical reason.

 

[demeaner]

Curious why they are implementing this on Android first? I tend to not like or trust companies that are not iOS first (an admitted bias), unless there is a technical reason.

That was my first thought "wow they are implementing this on android first ?" But good for them though. And i guess because it is easy to implement background tasks on android and not so on iOS, but i may be wrong.

 

[C DM]

Curious why they are implementing this on Android first? I tend to not like or trust companies that are not iOS first (an admitted bias), unless there is a technical reason.

How does trust figure into something like that, out of curiosity?

 

[Cloudkicker]

Curious why they are implementing this on Android first? I tend to not like or trust companies that are not iOS first (an admitted bias), unless there is a technical reason.

Fishier: why is MacRumors neglecting to cite this available first on Android, iOS later this year on iOS. Unless I over looked a sentence.

 

[cmwade77]

Curious why they are implementing this on Android first? I tend to not like or trust companies that are not iOS first (an admitted bias), unless there is a technical reason.

It mostly comes down to numbers, at least 80% of all smart devices are android based in some form or another, around 15% (at most) are iOS. Now this is a bit of oversimplification, as it combines all devices and all versions of the respective OSes.

Add in the less restrictive nature of Google vs Apple and the fact that it is usually easier to port an Android app to iOS than iOS to Android, now you can begin to see why there are a lot of developers that gravitate towards Android first.
[doublepost=1531263354][/doublepost]

Fishier: why is MacRumors neglecting to cite this available first on Android, iOS later this year on iOS. Unless I over looked a sentence.

You did indeed overlook a sentence, in fact the very first one that states:

Netflix has announced a new feature launching for Android smartphones and tablets today, and coming to iOS devices later this year

Additionally, the title states it as well, overall I can't fault the reporting on this one.
[doublepost=1531263393][/doublepost]

That was my first thought "wow they are implementing this on android first ?" But good for them though. And i guess because it is easy to implement background tasks on android and not so on iOS, but i may be wrong.

No, it really boils down to marketshare, as I said there is the detail that it is easier to port Android to iOS, but for a company as big as Netflix that is relatively minor.

 

[Michael Scrip]

It mostly comes down to numbers, at least 80% of all smart devices are android based in some form or another, around 15% (at most) are iOS. Now this is a bit of oversimplification, as it combines all devices and all versions of the respective OSes.

That's true.

But 50% of that 80% are in 3rd-world countries where Internet is expensive or Netflix simply isn't available.

Surely Netflix knows where its customers are... and what devices they are using.

That's the problem with citing the "80% Android" numbers for this particular example.

 

[borgranta]

Curious why they are implementing this on Android first? I tend to not like or trust companies that are not iOS first (an admitted bias), unless there is a technical reason.

The fact that the feature deletes from a device data automatically without user input may be what is holding up approval on iOS.

 

[Analog Kid]

Smarter downloads would be ones that realize that my account is set up in one country,and I downloaded content in that country because this is modern life and I’m traveling to a different country and want to watch stuff there. Don’t invalidate my downloaded content when my iPad wakes up in another place.

 

[Porco]

As with Apple, I think Netflix should give its users a lot more options and control over various features.

I personally don’t like this particular feature and won’t be choosing to use it. But I am glad it’s there for those who want it - I can see how other people might find it really helpful. So that’s nice.

 

[Aniruddh]

That's true.

But 50% of that 80% are in 3rd-world countries where Internet is expensive or Netflix simply isn't available.

Surely Netflix knows where its customers are... and what devices they are using.

That's the problem with citing the "80% Android" numbers for this particular example.

Nope, most of the Android phone users are from China and India who are amongst top data users and data dirt cheap.

 

[Michael Scrip]

Nope, most of the Android phone users are from China and India who are amongst top data users and data dirt cheap.

But are China and India among the highest Netflix users?

That's what I meant by "this particular example"

 

[Aniruddh]

But are China and India among the highest Netflix users?

That's what I meant by "this particular example"

Not sure about highest but they are among the highest:

http://www.bgr.in/news/indians-among-top-downloaders-of-content-on-mobile-phones-for-netflix/

 

[yashikkapoor2001]

Nice idea. Waiting for it.

 

[sidewinder3000]

It mostly comes down to numbers, at least 80% of all smart devices are android based in some form or another, around 15% (at most) are iOS. Now this is a bit of oversimplification, as it combines all devices and all versions of the respective OSes.

Add in the less restrictive nature of Google vs Apple and the fact that it is usually easier to port an Android app to iOS than iOS to Android, now you can begin to see why there are a lot of developers that gravitate towards Android first.

My understanding is that many applications actually start on iOS for a variety of reasons. One of them being that the App Store is a more vibrant marketplace and Apple users tend to spend more money on apps than Android users do. In my experience, the very best apps that I have seen and used either start on both platforms at the same time, or iOS 1st .

 

[borgranta]

My understanding is that many applications actually start on iOS for a variety of reasons. One of them being that the App Store is a more vibrant marketplace and Apple users tend to spend more money on apps than Android users do. In my experience, the very best apps that I have seen and used either start on both platforms at the same time, or iOS 1st .

A simple error in coding could cause it to delete data that should be left untouched. Let the Android users beta test it and if it is proven safe it can then be used on iPhone.

 

[ICEBreaker]

Curious why they are implementing this on Android first? I tend to not like or trust companies that are not iOS first (an admitted bias), unless there is a technical reason.

Unless you care to give the rationale behind this, I think this is the most irrational thing I've read on the internet for the last couple of days.

Fishier: why is MacRumors neglecting to cite this available first on Android, iOS later this year on iOS. Unless I over looked a sentence.

It was on the very first sentence... unless that was added afterwards.

Smarter downloads would be ones that realize that my account is set up in one country,and I downloaded content in that country because this is modern life and I’m traveling to a different country and want to watch stuff there. Don’t invalidate my downloaded content when my iPad wakes up in another place.

The only way to get around that is to put it in airplane mode, but you probably know this already.

A simple error in coding could cause it to delete data that should be left untouched. Let the Android users beta test it and if it is proven safe it can then be used on iPhone.

LOL. I smell the very strong scent of sour grapes here. If you are concerned about the new feature, then just turn it off. For less overly worried individuals, the worst thing that can happen is for unwatched episodes to become deleted, in which case they can simply just download them again. Not a big deal unless the download limit has been reached. Because the feature is optional, there is absolutely no down sides to getting this update before Android. iOS users usually boast how most apps and updates are rolled out on iOS first. That's one of the advantages of iOS. Or do you think we are "iOS beta testers" in those other cases then?

 

[sidewinder3000]

Unless you care to give the rationale behind this, I think this is the most irrational thing I've read on the internet for the last couple of days.

I admitted upfront that it was a bias, which suggests it’s not rational.