Netflix officially announced that it will be launching its services in Australia and New Zealand. This decision has finally put to end the speculations surrounding the deal between the US-based company and local rights holders. The local launch of the widely anticipated movie and television subscription streaming service company is set to happen in March 2015.
With the introduction of this service, Netflix offers Australian subscribers to a month-long free trial. Following the expiration of the trial period, the users will be given the option to avail of Netflix's three-tiered pricing plans. These packages will provide the subscribers the choice of selecting to stream "standard definition video, high-definition and 4K ultra-HD, to one or more screens at a time".
However, Australian users eager to avail of these services might have to wait a bit longer to find out the pricing of the said packages. Complete details on programming information and the list of supported gadgets are yet to be pronounced as well. At present, Netflix shared that these particulars will be announced "at a later date".
In an effort to provide its potential Australian subscribers an idea of the services available, Netflix assured that they will be offering "a curated selection of popular movies and TV shows in high-definition or even 4K where available" across "hundreds of Internet-connected devices". Despite not having the full information yet, the company shared that their services will be made "available at launch on smart TVs, tablets and smartphones, computers and a range of Internet-capable game consoles and set-top boxes".
The move to reach out to another market base outside the US reflected the statement of Netflix CEO Reed Hastings last year when he asserted that the company was "choosing a business strategy which has us put essentially all of our domestic profits into international expansion". Establishing an Australian base could now potentially give the company the opportunity to tap into the Asian market as well.
At present, Netflix posted a sign-up page for subscribers in Australia and New Zealand who want to be receive early notifications regarding the launch.
