Netflix yesterday briefly became the number one top-grossing iOS app in the U.S. for the first time, holding at bay the likes of Spotify and Candy Crush Saga for most of Monday.
The app also occupied the coveted top spot on iPhone in India, Mexico, and Colombia yesterday, as noted by app tracking company SensorTower, which offered a timeline leading up to the achievement in a blog post.
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The accomplishment comes approximately one year after Netflix introduced the ability for users to pay the monthly subscription fee as an in-app purchase. Over that time, its weekly net revenue has grown from less than $50,000 to nearly $2.9 million. In November, it was the No. 7 grossing iOS app overall in the U.S.
Apple takes a 30 percent cut of all in-app fees, but last month announced it was lowering the amount to 15 percent for subscription-based streaming video apps like Netflix and Hulu. Apple will soon extend the 15 percent rate to all subscription video services that are integrated with the company's upcoming TV app.
Last week, Netflix added the ability to download select programs via its mobile apps for offline viewing.
Top Rated Comments
/sarcasm
I don't get why HBO doesn't get more involved into streaming? Will get rid of silly competitions like Netflix really fast! Netflix is popular in U.S., but not around the world. HBO it's like Coke..it doesn't have competition, and also has better TV Shows like Westworld and Gotham (the best live action Superhero series ever made!)
1. I guessing the reason why HBO isn't more involved in streaming is because the bulk of their revenue still comes from TV subscriptions.2. You do realize that Netflix is available in almost every country in the world, right?
3. Gotham is not an HBO show, it airs on Fox.
Wait...... I thought with the "Apple tax" content providers couldn't make money?!? Isn't that Amazon's reasoning?
Nobody said Netflix were making any money. It's Apple that's making the money./sarcasm
I can't believe that people are subscribing to these services via IAP. Don't people understand that's it's 30% cheaper to sign up using the website?
For Netflix it's the same price. I just switched to subscribing thru Apple because it's cheaper for me when I buy iTunes gift cards for around 15-20% off. That makes my Netflix subscription (and Apple Music) 15-20% cheaper than they would be otherwise.
Just checked and it's definitely the same price to me.
I can get it for 6.99/month via the website? Could have fooled me. I pay via IAP and its costs me 9.99 a month, same as any other subscriber, save for those grandfathered in at an older price point. Netflix is one of a handful of companies that absorb the cost rather than pass it on to their users. And I for one welcome this! I like having all my subscriptions via IAP on my iTunes account. Makes it super easy for me to go in and manage them, turn one off, cancel something before a trial ends, etc. Also, I don't have to juggle multiple logins for everything. Additionally, I can use gift cards to pay for the services I use all the time when I receive them. I don't have much else to spend them on otherwise.
OK I stand corrected. I'm not a Netflix subscriber but I assumed it would be like Spotify and other subscription services where they aren't able to absorb the Apple 15/30% IAP fee. Good for Netflix that they are prepared to absorb it.Its a convenience I'm willing to pay a couple extra dollars a month for, to the services that pass the cost increase on to the consumer. But increasingly very few of them do. Spotify is about the only one I can think of off the top of my head, and I don't use their service anyhow. I subscribe to Netflix, Hulu and HBO via IAP and none of them cost me more than they would if bought directly from the provider.
If I were a Netflix subscriber though I'd still subscribe directly through them. I'd rather Netflix get the entire subscription so they can put that back into generating more of the content that people happy to pay for. Apple aren't adding much value (I guess how much value is different for different people) and Netflix are making less profit if you subscribe via IAP than they would if you subscribe directly through them. Less profit means less money for new content.
I don't get why HBO doesn't get more involved into streaming? Will get rid of silly competitions like Netflix really fast! Netflix is popular in U.S., but not around the world. HBO it's like Coke..it doesn't have competition, and also has better TV Shows like Westworld and Gotham (the best live action Superhero series ever made!)
"The app also occupied the coveted top spot on iPhone in India, Mexico, and Colombia yesterday..."Maybe you should read the article.
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I have used the new download feature several times now and think it works very well. I am sure this is part of the reason people are flocking to Netflix. They finally addressed the key missing feature. I have had Netflix since before it had streaming, so the in-app purchase is not something I use, but good to know that it is available for others.
Yup, I had Netflix when it was DVD only. Like you, I am digging the download feature. IAP for subscrption services? For the life of me, I can't understand why people would even do it. Paying 15-30% for the privilege of subscribing through the app store is beyond my comprehension. To be fair, there are a lot of things beyond my comprehension. Like the popularity of reality TV.