Netflix is continuing with its pricing experiments in India, as it looks to broaden access to its service in the country.
The video streaming service is testing a new “Mobile+” plan at Rs 349 per month, that allows subscribers to watch high definition (HD) content on a single mobile, tablet or computer screen at a time, reports AndroidPure. This is similar to the existing entry-level monthly plan priced at Rs 499, except for television viewing support.
“We launched the Mobile Plan in India to make it easier for anyone with a smartphone to enjoy Netflix. We want to see if members like the added choice this offer brings. We’ll only roll it out long-term if they do” a Netflix spokesperson told the publication.
Netflix, which competes with players like Disney+ Hotstar, Amazon Prime Video, Essel Group’s ZEE5 and Times Internet*-owned MX Player in the country, has been undertaking various measures to make its offering more attractive to consumers and grow its subscriber base.
“We have been working really hard to try and make our offering in India more competitive, more attractive to members and members-to-be, and there’s a bunch of different product features we’ve been doing, partnerships and payments integrations,” Netflix chief product officer Greg Peters had said in a post-earnings conference call in April this year.
The video streaming major had debuted a low-cost mobile-only plan for the India market at Rs 199 per month in July last year, which has since been rolled out into other Asian markets like Malaysia and the Philippines. It has also piloted weekly plans, discounted long term subscription plans as well as free content access to non-members in the country for a limited time. To be sure, Netflix is still among the costliest video streaming service in the country.
India content expansion
Netflix is also ramping up its original content programming in India at a time when video streaming services are witnessing a surge in content consumption with people confined to their homes due to the pandemic-induced lockdown.
Last week, the service expanded its slate with eight new titles including six original films and two original series. Overall, Netflix has commissioned about 50-60 productions in the country, its largest investment in original programming outside the United States. Of this, around 19 films and 14 original series have been released on the platform as of now.
In December, the service had announced plans to spend Rs 3,000 crore on content programming in India in 2019 and 2020. While the company doesn’t provide a country-wise breakdown, it added 2.66 million subscribers in the Asia Pacific region for the quarter ended June 2020 and generated revenues of $569 million for the period.
*Disclosure: Times Internet owns ETtech
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