TV and film streaming service Netflix is finally coming to Germany – so will you use it? The US company is also moving into France, Austria, Switzerland, Belgium and Luxembourg, but Germany could provide the most lucrative of the new markets.
Bemoaning the lack of Netflix in this country has been a frequent complaint in the past few years, even though there are alternatives in the shape of Snap from Sky and MaxDome from ProSiebenSat. 1. So will the wide reach of Netflix prove to be a winner?
Ian Maude from media consultancy agency Enders Analysis told the BBC that “Germany potentially could be quite a difficult market as it has low pay-TV penetration and seemingly low willingness to pay.” He added that the amount of German-language content Netflix will offer could prove crucial, with voiceover dubbing an expensive process.
The European push from Netflix comes as its international audience becomes ever more important, with streaming membership outside of the US growing by 76 percent in the most recent quarter, according to CNET, which also reported that the company believes its current international operations are set to become profitable by the end of this year.
European countries where Netflix is already operating include Ireland, the Netherlands, the UK, Denmark, Finland, Norway and Sweden. There is no set date for a German launch, but you can sign up for an email alert at the Netflix site.