Netflix Update Gets A Much-Needed Download Feature

The next version of Netflix was revealed today with a feature that's been requested by fans for ages. The Netflix app for Android appeared with code that indicated the download feature would allow shows and movies to be played without a full download. The original launch of movie and show content downloads with Netflix took place all the way back in the year 2016, requiring a full download since the beginning.

With this new feature, users will be able to begin watching a downloaded show before the entire download is complete. This will be ideal for people with relatively slow connections, especially those users that plan on watching multiple episodes of a television show in a row. Binge watching, at last!

Proof of the feature's inclusion in the latest version of the Android app for Netflix was found by XDA Developers today. Included in code for the Netflix app were phrases such as:

"You need to download a bit more to continue watching, or you can watch what you already have downloaded from the beginning."

"You've reached the end of what you've downloaded so far. Would you like to download over cellular to continue watching?"

"You've reached the end of what's been downloaded so far. Please connect to the internet to continue watching."

This app should be available from the Google Play app store right this minute. If you're unable to watch a show with a partial download today, you're not alone. This feature will likely be rolled out to all users in the next few weeks.

If you're on iOS, you might need to wait longer. If you're watching Netflix on a television, there's no download action to speak of. Would you like to be able to download a movie or television show on your television for offline viewing, too? That'd be ideal for users that don't use unlimited data connectivity for their home internet.