Netflix is due to introduce a new promotion called StreamFest, which will give unlimited and free access to the Netflix library for 48 hours.
StreamFest will first be trialed in India, before potentially rolling out to other countries.
What Is StreamFest?
The idea of StreamFest is that everyone within a country would have unlimited access to Netflix for two days. Interestingly, you won’t need to hand over payment details.
This news comes not longer after Netflix quietly ended its 30-day free trial. While the company may have called curtains on that promotion, it’s clear that it isn’t being complacent.
During an earnings interview following Netflix’s third quarter 2020 financial results, chief operating officer Greg Peters announced the StreamFest concept:
We think that giving everyone in a country access to Netflix for free for a weekend could be a great way to expose a bunch of new people to the amazing stories that we have. Really creating an event, and hopefully get a bunch of those folks to sign up.
This promotion will first be tested in India from December 4. It may then expand to other countries, depending on how successful the trial is in India.
StreamFest was first reported as a concept by Protocol. According to the site, analysis of the Netflix Android app found references to StreamFest.
In the code, there are lines that mention StreamFest will be accessible via all devices Netflix supports and that users won’t need to enter credit card details.
The site also reported that one text string reads that “Netflix StreamFest is at capacity”. This suggests that there could be a user limit, though nothing has been confirmed by Netflix.
What Is the Future for Netflix?
During the earnings report, Netflix announced that its third quarter subscriber growth of 2.2 million members worldwide was less than expected.
However, it attributed that to the immense 25.86 million members it picked up during the first half of 2020 due to the coronavirus pandemic. That’s more than it gained during the entirety of 2019.
Netflix recently increased the cost of its standard two-screen plan in Canada from $ 14 to $ 15.
When asked whether Netflix would be increasing the cost of its subscriptions elsewhere, Greg Peters declined to comment. He said that the company only increases prices when it believes it is delivering more value to its members.
He also noted that the company is “back to near-steady state in physical production”, as the pandemic also impacted the production schedule of Netflix’s original content.
Should You Subscribe to Netflix?
Are you still unsure whether you should subscribe to Netflix? The StreamFest promotion will be perfect for you to sample the content and see if it’s worthwhile.
Of course, with benefits like multiple screen viewing and a lack of ads, there are lots of reasons to check out Netflix.
