Finally, Netflix is allowing people to download videos to watch offline. That’s great for those of us who fly a lot where even if you pay for WiFi, the connection is too slow to stream video. It’s also great for those who like to hang out in remote locations where the Internet is hard to come by.
In a blog post, Netflix said “While many members enjoy watching Netflix at home, we’ve often heard they also want to continue their Stranger Things binge while on airplanes and other places where Internet is expensive or limited. ”
There are two catches. One catch is that not all Netflix videos are available for download. The other is that you can only download to an iOS or Android device — you can’t download videos to a Windows or Mac laptop. That’s too bad. I’m one of many people who don’t routinely carry a tablet with me on trips, even though I almost always have my smartphone and laptop. Yes, you can watch movies and TV shows on a phone, but it’s a much better experience on a larger screen. And, for me, that would be a laptop.
Laptops typically have more storage than tablets or phones (essential for large video files) and many have excellent screens and speakers, adding to the user’s viewing pleasure. It’s all about choice. Companies like Netflix should let users access content on whatever device works bests for them, rather than dictating what how customers should consume their content.