Netflix, the main media streaming company in today’s cord cutting society, has a great feature built into their iOS app that allows for users to download select TV shows and movies to their iPhone, iPad, or iPod Touch and be able to watch them offline.Essentially, if you as a parent are going on a long family road trip, you can download (select) movies and TV shows for the kids to watch in the back so that they are entertained and have something to do. The same can be said if you are going on an airplane and either it does not have fast Wi-Fi or no Wi-Fi at all, this feature will allow you to download what you want to watch and then be able to watch it without an internet connection.
This feature is so necessary in our mobile society and is another example of people wanting to watch what they want to watch when it is convenient for them, even if that may mean they need to download their media beforehand. It is not complicated to do and once it’s downloaded, it’s there! Netflix only allows for users to keep downloaded content for 48 hours at a time, so be sure to watch your downloads as soon as possible.
I tried this recently with the new Netflix original series, 13 Reasons Why. Since it is a Netflix original, the service does allow users to download episodes to watch on-the-go.
In my experience with the service, it worked out great. I know that can sound vague and mysterious, but the service works as it should. The video quality was great, especially since I was watching it in the sun (I was in the car) and watching it on a 7.9-inch iPad Mini 2. There were no signs of buffering or audio issues while I was watching. It simply felt like I was watching Netflix with an internet connection, but without the internet connection.
What I would like to see out of this service in the future is that Netflix adds more to it. This means I would love to see TV shows like It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia or How I Met Your Mother added to the list of offline viewable content. Both shows are good and very popular in the non-original Netflix programming area.
Overall, the service gets 4/4 stars from me. It’s one of the few items in technology right now that works as it should and is not complicated to do. Also, factoring in once again, this is incredibly convenient for users who are always traveling and wanting to watch TV shows or movies without an internet connection.
Rating: 4/4 stars
