Netflix sets sail for Asia-Pacific with launches in Australia and New Zealand

Currently, there are around 340,000 people watching Netflix in Australia. This would be considered normal, except for one very odd fact: Netflix isn’t officially available in Australia as yet. At the moment these users are accessing the US version of Netflix by using a VPN and paying with a non-US credit card which Netflix, unlike competitors such as Amazon, allows you to do.

Netflix has taken notice of its gaining popularity down under and has decided to launch in Australia and New Zealand in March of next year. Netflix will have little competition in the region, as only a few services such as Quickflix or Foxtel’s Presto currently exist. Given that a sizable portion of the market that is willing to pay for online streaming sites is using Netflix already, this means Netflix’s biggest competitor is itself.

No pricing was announced in the company’s statement. If past launches in Australia by services such as Spotify are any indication, it is likely to be more expensive than the US rate (US$8.99 per month) by a few dollars.

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The question persists however, what will happen to those already paying subscribers? It is unclear whether current Australian subscribers (using a rogue US account) will be forced to move over to a local subscription. There are many reasons why they may want to stay with their US subscriptions, namely the lower price and the bigger content libraries. It is assumed that not all the shows that are on the US Netflix will make it over to the Australian Netflix due to licensing deals and other factors, which was what happened when Netflix launched in the UK.

However, Netflix’s foray into Australia and New Zealand may be more than just a move to grab users that already know about it. Launching in those nations can be seen as a way for the streaming giant to get its foot through the door and increase awareness in surrounding Asian markets.

This post Netflix sets sail for Asia-Pacific with launches in Australia and New Zealand appeared first on Tech in Asia.