Netflix Could Start Offering Cheaper Mobile-Only Subscriptions

The streaming giant is testing out the idea of offering cheaper plans for small screens only.

November 14, 2018

Netflix mobile subscription — Image via Getty/Yu Chun Christopher Wong

We are living in the dawn of subscriptions. Hulu, Spotify, Apple Music, New York Times, and more are consistently taking money out of our pockets every damn day. But fortunately Netflix might be lowering its prices soon by offering up a new mobile-only subscription.

Now if you’re someone who is currently paying full price for a Netflix account, then clearly you have no friends or family members who love you, but that’s another issue altogether. According to TechCrunch, the streaming service is now testing the mobile option in Asia to see how it might help build subscriptions in newer markets around the globe. The cost abroad translates to about $4 in the U.S., which is half the cost of the current cheapest plan.

It remains to be seen if this option will only be available abroad, or if Netflix will be introducing it to its American market. The company is currently investing a lot of money in original content in Asia, including new projects in India, South Korea, Japan, Thailand, and Taiwan. This mobile option is likely being launched as a way to reach more customers around the globe and compete internationally, instead of sticking to a North American and European base.

Meanwhile, Netflix is testing other methods to increase user base and experience. The streaming giant is currently developing series that allow viewers to “choose the next storyline in a TV episode or movie.” The first of these specials are expected to drop before the end of 2018, and will include the upcoming season of Black Mirror.