For viewers, there’s a positive side to this development. Netflix intends to introduce a new ad format in early 2024 tailored to binge-watchers. For instance, if you watch three consecutive episodes of a Netflix series, you’ll get the fourth episode without ads. It’s unclear how this will apply to movies and documentaries on Netflix.
Ad-supported tiers often require a degree of compromise from viewers, particularly as some evidence suggests that both Netflix and Disney Plus increased their ad load during the first six months of launching their ad-supported services.
The addition of downloadable content to Netflix’s ‘Standard with adverts’ tier provides another incentive for viewers and may encourage other streaming services to enhance the value of their budget-friendly tiers.
