After hinting at it for months, Netflix is finally letting its users download some of its shows and movies, so they can watch them when they don’t have an internet connection.
Netflix will let you download video to go, but not movies and shows from Disney
It will work on your iOS and Android devices, starting today.
Peter Kafka covered media and technology, and their intersection, at Vox. Many of his stories can be found in his Kafka on Media newsletter, and he also hosts the Recode Media podcast.
Some other streaming services, notably Netflix rival Amazon, have already offered the same feature.
In countries like the U.S., it’s a nice option for people on planes and in other scenarios where they won’t have readily available Wi-Fi. But Netflix has said it is most concerned about customers in developing countries, where internet connections aren’t always cheap and/or available.
“As we expand around the world, where we see an uneven set of networks, it’s something we should keep an open mind about,” CEO Reed Hastings said in April.
Netflix hasn’t said how many of its movies and shows will be available for download, though the company emphasized Netflix originals in a blog post announcing the move.
A Netflix rep said the one notable omission will be Disney-owned shows and movies. That includes new releases like “Zootopia,” as well catalog stuff like “Fantasia.” And it also includes Netflix exclusives made in conjunction with Disney, like the new Marvel superhero shows “Jessica Jones” and “Luke Cage.”
No comment from Netflix about why the Disney titles aren’t available. A reasonable assumption would be that Disney wants to reserve those rights for its own download service, which it hasn’t launched but has been considering for years.
Netflix’s download option is available for users with iOS and Android devices, using an update of the company’s app that’s out today. Once you have it, you can see what titles Netflix is offering for download by looking at a new “available for download” tab.
Here’s what that looks like on my iPhone:
This article originally appeared on Recode.net.
