Netflix flips switch on streaming services in Australia and New Zealand, lands on Apple TV
Netflix on Monday debuted its streaming media services to markets in Australia and New Zealand, with official subscription access rolling out on a variety of platforms including Apple TV.
Cord cutters in Australia and New Zealand can now access on-demand TV shows and movies from Netflix via Apple TV, Smart TVs, Blu-Ray players, game consoles, the Web and more, reports The Sydney Morning Herald.
Prior to today's launch, an estimated 200,000 Australians subscribed to and accessed the U.S. version of Netflix by spoofing their location. With what appears to be a limited content package, however, it remains to be seen if those users will switch over.
The publication notes Australia Netflix currently boasts much fewer titles compared to its North American counterparts, but does offer nearly 700 regional shows not available in the U.S. or Canada as a consolation. Netflix previously said that content selection will improve as the platform matures, adding more titles at regular intervals. The company used a similar tactic in the U.S. and Canada.
As for pricing, Netflix will cost Australian users AU$8.99 per month for a regular streaming plan, while an AU$11.99 tier is available for high-definition content on up to two screens. A top-end service offering 4K resolutions on up to four screens is also available for AU$14.99 per month.
Netflix first announced it would be expanding into Australia's market last year.
Cord cutters in Australia and New Zealand can now access on-demand TV shows and movies from Netflix via Apple TV, Smart TVs, Blu-Ray players, game consoles, the Web and more, reports The Sydney Morning Herald.
Prior to today's launch, an estimated 200,000 Australians subscribed to and accessed the U.S. version of Netflix by spoofing their location. With what appears to be a limited content package, however, it remains to be seen if those users will switch over.
The publication notes Australia Netflix currently boasts much fewer titles compared to its North American counterparts, but does offer nearly 700 regional shows not available in the U.S. or Canada as a consolation. Netflix previously said that content selection will improve as the platform matures, adding more titles at regular intervals. The company used a similar tactic in the U.S. and Canada.
As for pricing, Netflix will cost Australian users AU$8.99 per month for a regular streaming plan, while an AU$11.99 tier is available for high-definition content on up to two screens. A top-end service offering 4K resolutions on up to four screens is also available for AU$14.99 per month.
Netflix first announced it would be expanding into Australia's market last year.
Comments
I don't know about New Zealand, but the arrival of Netflix in Australia has disrupted the market a lot. The traditional cable providers have dropped their prices through the floor, and 2 local Internet streaming services have opened: Presto https://www.presto.com.au and Stan https://www.stan.com.au
iTunes has not lowered their prices or made any visible changes though. iTunes charges $6.99 for a single HD rental vs Netflix $11.99 for a month of all you can eat HD. The iTunes movies are more recent though. I actually think the market is probably over-served now and there will be a shake out at some point.
I don't know about New Zealand, but the arrival of Netflix in Australia has disrupted the market a lot. The traditional cable providers have dropped their prices through the floor, and 2 local Internet streaming services have opened: Presto https://www.presto.com.au and Stan https://www.stan.com.au
iTunes has not lowered their prices or made any visible changes though. iTunes charges $6.99 for a single HD rental vs Netflix $11.99 for a month of all you can eat HD. The iTunes movies are more recent though. I actually think the market is probably over-served now and there will be a shake out at some point.
Netflix doesn't carry all the current stuff. iTunes does. I use both constantly and its a balance. Can't get it all under one provider. Would be nice.
Bring on the new AppleTV with local programming. At $40/mo, it would still be only 1/3 of what I'm paying right now on my HD cable that I would just LOVE to cut permanently.
Though I have to say ASCII that it might be all you eat so long as you don't eat much or are happy with old food. I looked at Doctor Who this morning for example, the recent season is missing.
As for "adding more content over time" good luck with that, if you check out iTunes even in Australia the owners of "rental" licensing for movies have it largely crippled. I could only begin to list the amount of films that are missing and I doubt Netflix will do much better.
ALL that said, as mentioned it is the cost of 2ish rentals a month, so I guess as long as I am willing to watch 2 movies a month that are not available on iTunes then it is worth it just for that.
Crunchy roll destroys it for anime.
I do the same as a poster above, going back and forth between Netflix and iTunes. If I had the cooking shows, cable news and local channels, I'd be all in.
A lot less content than what they have in the U.S. But still enough to easily make it worth the low price.
I doubt many of the assumed 200,000 existin customers will swap over to an Australian account but I think Netflix will get a lot of new Aussie subscribers. Have already talked to a few friends that signed up today.
Here in Canada the regular TV providers, cable and DSL, are still holding prices too high. They also sell online movies.
Our Gov regulator is attempting to introduce a basic TV entry price ($25 ?) plus additional channels priced individually. This could increase prices for many. Currently the cable provider charges about $65 / mth for basic HD TV plus a base level of additional HD channels.
Netflix plus another movie channel are available on my Sony TV, from wired or WiFi internet.
Our DSL providers recently said they will definitely be charging for users going over their contracted volume.
The HD TV access war is just starting here.
But we are talking about Aussie/NZ, iTunes doesn't carry all the "current stuff" here. In fact in NZ Apple has around zero tv shows, and quite expensive movies. They are really dropping the ball here
"popcorn time"
Who's the pirate, really?
Bring on the new AppleTV with local programming. At $40/mo, it would still be only 1/3 of what I'm paying right now on my HD cable that I would just LOVE to cut permanently.
Shame on Apple for taking all this time to debut nothing but a cheaper cable bill.
At $40/mon it would be $40 more per month than I pay for cable.
What's a 'DVD'?
Welcome to 'binge watching'
Indeed, especially shows produced by Netflix, most notably House of Cards, and Orange Is The New Black
The thing I really hate about the TV providers is complete and utter lack of choice.
I love the Netflix idea where I can watch TV shows I want to watch without having to wait until specific times to watch them. In New Zealand we still don't have iTunes TV Shows so hopefully Netflix will pave the way for them.
TVNZ and TV3 are both Free To Air TV stations and while now digital they still only really offer about 10 proper channels but it's mostly reality TV with a handful of good shows like Arrow, MARVEL Agent Carter, The Flash, Person of Interest, and Gotham (TVNZ carries these shows TV3 mostly has crap reality TV shows so I only watch 3 for Graham Norton, 7 Days, and Blacklist although I've pretty much missed all of season two so hopefully that will be on Netflix soon.
Sky is the worst station on the planet. It offers the greatest amount of channels over free TV but they offer ZERO choice.
You have to pay around $25NZ for a basic package which are all channels that suck, have more ads than free TV (free TV needs ads to survive so I have no idea what Sky needs them for other than to be greedy pricks), and repeat the same utter crap 4 times a day. Not to mention that it's satellite TV and in a country like New Zealand where the weather can get pretty bad the signal drops more than it's up anyway.
You then have to pay on top of that for the TV channels you actually want. I'd see more value for money with Sky if I could just tailor make a package for my viewing wants not be forced some crap than pay for what I want.
Netflix is going to be nothing but a massive game changer for New Zealand TV and in reality the biggest loser is going to be Sky TV which is great because Rupert Murdoch is a dumb Aussie twat (no offense to Australia intended)
But we are talking about Aussie/NZ, iTunes doesn't carry all the "current stuff" here. In fact in NZ Apple has around zero tv shows, and quite expensive movies. They are really dropping the ball here
Yes but that's actually not Apple's fault. It's SkyTV's fault and to a lesser extent TVNZ's. They are keeping competition out of New Zealand so we are left with basically whatever they feed us. Hell, Russia is better served than we are. Once Netflix gets established here I seriously think that Apple will have an in for getting TV shows here and we will be better served.
Incidentally, when it comes to apps the TVNZ app is quite good but there is still NO way for us to stream to Apple TV without a laptop. TVNZ and TV3 aren't paying for the licence to do this so what's even the point of their apps if you want to watch something with your missus cosy up in bed with the winter nights coming along? With Netflix I have an app directly on the Apple TV for that.
How can we blame Sky and TVNZ when we have had Quickflix for ages, Lightbox for a while, and that joke of a SkyTV Neon. There was nothing stopping Apple getting rights to sell online copies of TV Shows in NZ, they just haven't bothered to do it. You don't see SkyTV trying to block DVD and Blu-ray sales.
Personally I haven't used a NZ TV on demand site for years, especially TVNZ since the killed the PS3 app and haven't replaced it. Netflix, Hulu and Plex work fine on my Fire TV's
Absolutely and I'd add in some not Netflix own ones such as Damages and Scandal. I have also enjoyed many old series, it is amazing how many there are never heard of let alone didn't see. Just don't tell anyone I got hooked on Charmed too
I think you just insulted twats though!
There's no shame in getting hooked on watching Rose McGowan, and Alyssa Milano.
Edit. Btw It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia is hilarious. I've recently got hooked on it.