Netflix launches in Australia on March 24
US streaming giant confirms a launch in 3 weeks time -but still no pricing details.
- Published by David Knox
- on
- Filed under Streaming, Top Stories
Today streaming video giant Netflix confirmed that it will be launching in Australia and New Zealand on 24 March, 2015.
No price has yet been announced, expected to be revealed at launch.
The service will compete against recently launched streaming services including Stan and Presto.
Previously confirmed titles at launch include House of Cards, Marco Polo, BoJack Horseman, All Hail King Julien with upcoming titles to include Bloodline, Daredevil, Sense8, Grace and Frankie, Virunga, Mission Blue, Uganda Be Kidding Me from Chelsea Handler, and Jim Jeffries’ Bare.
“Many Aussies and Kiwis have heard a lot about Netflix over the years, and we’re excited they’ll get to experience our unique blend of Netflix original content, local series and films, and popular movies and TV shows from around the world, all for a low monthly price,” said Reed Hastings, Netflix co-founder and chief executive officer.
Starting today, consumers in Australia and New Zealand can find the latest updates on Netflix content and social happenings via the company’s local Twitter and Instagram (@NetflixANZ), Facebook (www.facebook.com/NetflixANZ) and Tumblr (NetflixANZ) accounts.
Netflix will be available on all major Australian broadband operators. Customers of iiNet, the nation’s second-largest DSL Internet provider, will be able to enjoy hours of entertainment, including all three seasons of the political drama House of Cards, family thriller Bloodline and other movies and TV shows from the Netflix catalogue, with no fear of the usage counting against home data caps, under the first un-metering agreement announced with a major broadband provider in Australia.
At launch, Netflix (NASDAQ: NFLX) will be available on smart televisions manufactured by Samsung, LG, Sony, Panasonic, Philips and HiSense, and Fetch TV’s second-generation set-top box. Film and TV fans can also access Netflix on game consoles, including Sony’s PlayStation 3 (PS3™) and PlayStation 4 (PS4™), Microsoft’s Xbox 360 and Xbox One, and Nintendo’s Wii U, as well as Apple TV, Google Chromecast, and Apple and Android tablets and smartphones.
Mobile users who sign up for specific plans offered by Vodafone in New Zealand will receive several months of prepaid service, whilst consumers purchasing Microsoft’s next generation console, the Xbox One, at select stores will receive three months prepaid access to the Netflix service, starting 24 March and for a limited time only.
From launch, consumers will be able to purchase Netflix gift cards in denominations of $20, $30 and $50 at participating Australian retailers, including Woolworths, Coles, Big W, 7-Eleven, Australia Post and Officeworks. Netflix will offer a single-stream standard definition plan, two-stream high-definition plan and four-stream 4K ultra-high definition “family” plan. Details on monthly pricing will be available at launch.
Internet-connected users will be able to subscribe to Netflix and instantly watch a curated selection of popular movies and TV shows in high-definition or Ultra HD 4K where available. In addition to Netflix original series including Marco Polo, the dramatic thriller Sense8; Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt; Marvel’s Daredevil; DreamWorks Animation’s The Adventures of Puss in Boots and All Hail King Julien, and the Academy Award-nominated documentary Virunga, members will also enjoy an exciting range of exclusive and licensed content from many of the world’s leading distributors, including Roadshow Entertainment, Beyond Distribution, Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) and The Walt Disney Company.
Netflix has also announced premiere dates:
Original Stand-up Comedy Specials:
Chris D’Elia: Incorrigible – April 17
Jen Kirkman: I’m Gonna Die Alone (And I Feel Fine)- May 22
Original Documentaries
What Happened Miss Simone- June 26
Original Series:
Between- May, 2015
Sense8- June 5
Wet Hot American Summer: First Day of Camp- July 17
Coming Soon:
Narcos
Club de Cuervos
19 Responses
Gizmodo.com.au reports that Netflix will be unmetered on Optus and presumes that it will be for fixed line broadband customers only.
ah yes, the service i’ve been hearing about thats been available for years in other countries, nice to see we’re finally catching up to this century…
Really like the idea of having gift cards. Depending on what else Netflix has to offer. I think I’ll be cancelling stan.
Hope no one gives me a gift card, as it would be useless unless they have DVD-rental. Would prefer the cash.
Jason, I’ve made a note not to give you a gift card.
Thank you. Just send the cash.
That’s how you launch a streaming service…unmetering deal with one of Australia’s ISP’s….suite of console apps available on Day One….gift cards available at all the large chains….
This isn’t even complicated stuff, and by not going to market with these options – Stan/Presto etc. have put their “first mover” advantage at risk, even when they clearly knew what Netflix could bring to the table.
A tweet from Netflix in reply to a user asking if it will be worthwhile cancelling his US sub makes me thing that there basic will come in at $10 – “We’ll have more info on March 24th, however pricing will be similar to other territories, and you’ll save on VPN costs…”
Wow – TV is changing , not long before we watch we want to, and we are in the last days of blocks of ads.
Already, no one I know watches them.
Fascinating!
When one can watch 90mins of FTA TV in one hour (20mins for Modern Family & 40 mins for L&O SVU, and 90 mins of MKR in 60 mins or less) thanks to PVRs, our place only ever watches ABC ‘live’. Q&A, Media Watch, Mad as Hell, News, 7:30, ABC24, etc.
The big turn-off is the amount of adverts. Speaking as someone who used to work at TCN9 in the 60s-70s it was dictated by the Packers, and Bruce Gyngell – ‘no more than 3 ads in a break’. Left room for a proper, live, News at 8:25 and 9:25, and every program started on time. “9:30” was 9:30.
The unmetered data agreement is a massive carrot for iiNet users who might waver when the pricing is announced. You’d have to imagine there would be more such agreements being looked at by other services right now.
I know you mentioned it earlier in the article, but did you forget to put Daredevil with the other original series premiering on Netflix? You have Sense8 in June, but not Daredevil in April.
Daredevil is in the story as an upcoming title. The dates listed in the bottom were confirmed today.
Will DVDs be available, like Quickflix? If no, then don’t bother looking for customers in the Illawarra NSW region.
Read: illawarramercury.com.au/story/2899700/tullimbar-residents-stuck-with-dial-up-internet/
and the comments. Not limited to Wollongong/Illawarra.
Totally agree. Anyone who is even remotely rural will not get any use from this. I am on Satellite internet, so I wont even consider it, knowing how long a short video takes to buffer and stream.
And some of the towns mentioned in the above story and its comments are within one hour’s drive of central Sydney. Workers commute to Sydney CBD from these places every day.
Jason, I live in Wollongong and access Netflix no problems
Anyone who went to see Chelsea Handler’s comedy show’s last year would have already known this. She announced it at her shows and even got audiences to film a “Australia is excited about Netflix” video with her on stage.
I would’ve thought that pricing information would accompany a launch date. I’m wondering when the product launches if there is a way to see what content is available before subscribing. Will Netflix offer a trial period? I think offering gift cards at retailers is a good idea.
Netflix already has a pre-existing windows phone app available in others markets. As there is no mention of it I’m just curious as to whether they will make that same app available to windows phone users in Australia.