Fetch TV to offer more features to view Netflix
Pay TV service discovers Netflix is not the enemy, with viewers loving everything in one place.
- Published by David Knox
- on
- Filed under Subscription
Netflix may not be the enemy, at least it isn’t for Fetch TV which is finding more people who watch Netflix are staying with the service, than those who don’t.
In coming months it will offer more enhanced viewing options, including previews, billing and search, as part of a new agreement with the streaming giant.
Fetch TV was a launch partner for Netflix in March 2015, as the first set-top-box platform in Australia to support Netflix 4K.
A recent analysis found that:
● Viewing by Netflix users exceeds any of the traditional linear channels on the Fetch platform.
● People who watch Netflix on Fetch are more engaged with the Fetch service overall, viewing an extra 22 hours of content a month.
● People who watch Netflix on Fetch churn at lower rates than non-Netflix watchers.
Over the next six months Fetch will offer more ‘click to play’ options for Netflix:
Universal search – Netflix content will be integrated into Fetch search results alongside content from free-to-air (FTA) and subscription channels, the Fetch TV and Movie Stores, and FTA catch-up apps. Results will show all available viewing source options allowing subscribers to choose how they access the content. Search is accessible using the remote control, via voice commands to the Google Assistant, and on the Fetch companion app.
Easier discovery – The Netflix service currently features prominently on the Fetch main menu. Subscribers can easily navigate between Netflix and other parts of the Fetch content offering via promotional tiles or via a dedicated Netflix virtual channel. Fetch will soon also integrate a Netflix preview row, a new space in the Fetch user interface providing a quick glimpse of Netflix titles or convenient selection of a Netflix profile for Netflix members.
Faster access – Later this year Fetch will add a dedicated Netflix branded button to the remote control, providing another quick and easy way to access Netflix on Fetch.
Other future plans include the option of a single bill covering both their Fetch and Netflix subscriptions.
Paul Perryman, Vice President Business Development, Netflix, commented: “Fetch was a launch partner when we introduced the Netflix service in Australia three years ago. Since that time many of our members have enjoyed watching Netflix on the Fetch platform and benefited from the convenience the platform provides in simplifying their entertainment experience. We’re delighted to deepen this partnership by making it easier for people to discover and access Netflix on Fetch.”
Scott Lorson, CEO of Fetch TV, commented: “Fetch has enjoyed dramatic growth on the back of our simple and compelling consumer proposition of ‘All Your Entertainment in One Place.’ For the vast majority of our subscribers, Netflix is a critical part of their entertainment experience, providing access to a service filled with original, must-see content. Fetch TV is delighted to expand our partnership with Netflix, and we look forward to further enhancing our market leading user experience through deep and seamless integration of the Netflix service.”
5 Responses
We got Fetch but went on a lengthy troublesome process to discover our Panasonic TV is not compatible so we can see everything but hear nothing. We found a ‘cheat fix’ (bending a pin in the HDMI cable which worked until Fetch’s software update which put us back to square one. It’s totally unusable now so we use a combination of PS3 and AppleTV.
It’s anecdotes like this that make it sound all too difficult for someone that doesn’t know their HDMI from their VGA.
You can throw out the VGA cable to make that easier !
Have you tried a new unmodified HDMI cable ? I had the same problem and all is fine since that firmware update about 12 months ago.
If Fetch can provide a more usable viewer guide of available Netflix shows that would be useful, Netflix have many shows and movies hidden away, some not seeing the light of day, as viewers opt for simpler ‘suggested’ options and Netflix’s promoted recent releases. I would also be interested if Dolby Vision will be included in any future Fetch products.