Five changes coming to Netflix
Netflix, the most popular streaming service in New Zealand, has announced several changes to its service.
The improvements range from the cosmetic (new profile icons) to a better download experience.
One of the biggest changes is the removal of user reviews from the site. This means you’ll need to rely on Netflix’s somewhat confusing rating system which came in last year. It shows a percentage based on your viewing activity to indicate whether you’d like the show or not.
It works OK, but it’s always been nice to see user reviews as well.
Part of the reason for their removal could be to end ‘‘review bombing’’ where people actively post negative reviews.
Another change is new profile icons. The old classic ones have been given a snazzier makeover, but the biggest change is the new icons based on characters from Netflix shows.
That means you can change your icon to Luke Cage, Eleven from Stranger Things or Claire Underwood from House of Cards. Not a major improvement but a nice touch.
The downloading experience has improved too. Netflix has allowed you to download certain shows and movies for the past few years but it’s always been a manual process.
Now, once you’ve finished watching a downloaded episode, it’ll be deleted and the next episode will automatically download.
It only works over wi-fi so your mobile data won’t be gobbled up, and if you prefer to have more control you can turn off the smart downloads feature.
The fourth change is to fast.com, Netflix’s internet speed-checking website.
The site, which has done more than half a billion speed tests since it was launched, now gives information on upload speeds and latency, which refers to the time it takes for data to travel from a user’s device to the server and back.
This now puts it on par with other speed test sites and helps you see how your connection is performing.
The last change is only coming to Netflix’s app on smart televisions. The app is being redesigned to make it easier to navigate when using a remote control.
It’s now easier to search and view new content added to the service, and also simpler to access titles you’ve saved for later viewing in My List.