Netflix users who use Android devices to access the service have something to smile about. Netflix has realised that downloading video titles for offline viewing is not just enough. Android users will now have the option to download their titles on an external microSD card. Talk of saving that valuable internal storage space.
Android? Users – You can now download to your SD card so there's always room for more. pic.twitter.com/Uqt2GSjPw5
— Netflix US (@netflix) January 24, 2017
When Netflix introduced offline viewing mode back in November 2016, users could only download select TV shows and movies to watch later onto their valuable internal storage. This resulted in your internal storage feeling up pretty quickly. The only way out of this predicament if you so wished to download some more titles was to delete some of the already downloaded content.
With the ability to store your offline TV shows and movies to an external microSD card opens up a new range of possibilities. With a 128 GB microSD card retailing at roughly Ksh.6,000 there is nothing to stop you from pulling more and more of these titles for offline viewing. If 128 GB turns up to be quite limiting you can always upgrade unlike an internal storage whose volume is fixed.
Initially, Netflix used to be exclusively a streaming service. This proved to be a challenge to subscribers who would travel to places with poor internet connectivity. For one, they could not enjoy the service even though their subscription was still active. The second predicament was the fact that most individuals rely on limited data connectivity. As such, they cannot stream as much as they would have wished. They have to confine to the limitation of their data subscription.
One caveat to note is that you cannot store downloaded content indefinitely. How long you can store a TV show or movie for offline viewing varies from title to title. According to Netflix, “some titles will expire 48 hours after you first press play.”
As of now the ability to download content to your SD card is only available to Android users. Netflix has not hinted of a timeline when the feature will roll out to Windows Phone users. As more iOS users, maybe if your devices had storage card slots you would have a shot at this new feature.
