Curious, does Microsoft require you to pay in order to use Netflix on the xbox one?

[Hugo Drax]

The 360 required a subscription to Microsofts service in order to even use non microsoft services (ie netflix)

is this still the case with the xbox one?

 

[Doppel]

Yes, it does. And, no, the PS4 does not, though it does to online game.

 

[smackababy]

Curious, does Google still work?

 

[purbeast0]

they don't charge you to use netflix.

they charge you to use their xbox live service, which includes access to the netflix app that they created in order for you to use your netflix account on their software.

its kind of like saying a cable company "charges you" to use your tv, when you could use it just fine without paying for cable. but when you pay for cable, you just get to watch many other channels, including the ones that you could watch for free using alternative methods (antenna) before you had cable.

 

[Dumac]

The 360 required a subscription to Microsofts service in order to even use non microsoft services (ie netflix)

is this still the case with the xbox one?

Yes they do.

And yes it sucks.

 

[cmdrdredd]

they don't charge you to use netflix.

they charge you to use their xbox live service, which includes access to the netflix app that they created in order for you to use your netflix account on their software.

its kind of like saying a cable company "charges you" to use your tv, when you could use it just fine without paying for cable. but when you pay for cable, you just get to watch many other channels, including the ones that you could watch for free using alternative methods (antenna) before you had cable.

Lol true...if you think about it.

Microsoft created the app for netflix along with others. They require you to be an XBL Gold member to have access to those apps. I don't necessarily like this approach, but I also don't think $5 a month is expensive either if you buy a whole year. That isn't even counting the often discounted live cards.

 

[purbeast0]

Lol true...if you think about it.

Microsoft created the app for netflix along with others. They require you to be an XBL Gold member to have access to those apps. I don't necessarily like this approach, but I also don't think $5 a month is expensive either if you buy a whole year. That isn't even counting the often discounted live cards.

i dont personally use netflix or anything, but if i did i could use it on my ps3, ps4, 360, xbox1, bluray player, or my smart tv. it isn't like there is only 1 option out there and i HAVE to pay for it. but i pay for xbl anyways to play online so i wouldnt be "charged" anything for it anyways.

 

[Skel]

they don't charge you to use netflix.

they charge you to use their xbox live service, which includes access to the netflix app that they created in order for you to use your netflix account on their software.

its kind of like saying a cable company "charges you" to use your tv, when you could use it just fine without paying for cable. but when you pay for cable, you just get to watch many other channels, including the ones that you could watch for free using alternative methods (antenna) before you had cable.

That has to be the best analogy I've heard for it. Personally I use my xbox for netflix as I love to pause and fast forward via voice commands.

 

[SaurusX]

Personally I use my xbox for netflix as I love to pause and fast forward via voice commands.

Do you also love having the government scan your genitals through your kinect?

 

[cmdrdredd]

Do you also love having the government scan your genitals through your kinect?

yeah cause that's totally happening. Are you stuck back in May - June?

 

[smackababy]

Do you also love having the government scan your genitals through your kinect?

I do. Otherwise, how would they know how many tax breaks to give me for "small man syndrome"?

 

[gorcorps]

That has to be the best analogy I've heard for it. Personally I use my xbox for netflix as I love to pause and fast forward via voice commands.

It's a fine analogy, except that there are other boxes and consoles that don't have the same requirement... hence why people consider it "paying extra for Netflix"

You can butter it up all you want, but it doesn't change the fact that the xbox has an extra subscription requirement that nobody else has.

 

[Doppel]

It's a fine analogy, except that there are other boxes and consoles that don't have the same requirement... hence why people consider it "paying extra for Netflix"

You can butter it up all you want, but it doesn't change the fact that the xbox has an extra subscription requirement that nobody else has.

Yep. There is nothing immoral about what ms is doing; ultimately they need to get paid for their software somehow. Nonetheless, the fact is they require good and the ps4 does not.

 

[Dumac]

Doesn't Netflix write their own apps?

 

[cmdrdredd]

It's a fine analogy, except that there are other boxes and consoles that don't have the same requirement... hence why people consider it "paying extra for Netflix"

You can butter it up all you want, but it doesn't change the fact that the xbox has an extra subscription requirement that nobody else has.

It's a perfect analogy. You can watch TV OTA for free or you can pay for cable and get some extras along with those OTA channels. You can watch Netflix for free on your PC, phone, tablet etc. or you can pay for XBL and get access to netflix but other things as well that come with the subscription.

So you never have to pay for Gold. I don't like the idea of blocking it behind the subscription but I also don't think it's a big deal as nobody will be paying for XBL Gold solely for Netflix they will be doing online gaming, getting access to UFC and NFL features. Just as nobody signs up for Comcast cable to watch their local news only. They will also watch TNT, USA, maybe HBO.

 

[Dumac]

It's a perfect analogy. You can watch TV OTA for free or you can pay for cable and get some extras along with those OTA channels. You can watch Netflix for free on your PC, phone, tablet etc. or you can pay for XBL and get access to netflix but other things as well that come with the subscription.

No it isn't a perfect analogy.

 

[cyclohexane]

Doesn't Netflix write their own apps?

This. Microsoft just want to charge, and people are willing to pay.

 

[purbeast0]

Doesn't Netflix write their own apps?

no microsoft does, they had a post about it on their engineering blog but it is no longer around.

EDIT:

ok maybe not writes it 100% themselves, but they own it. the blog about it was back when netflix first came to 360 which was years ago so i don't remember the post 100%.

 

[Dumac]

no microsoft does, they had a post about it on their engineering blog but it is no longer around.

Then how do they coordinate architectural changes across platforms, such as this?

Why does Microsoft redirect you to Netflix support?

Why does this article say that the xbone app was designed by "Netflix’s Lead UX Designer Michelle Koh and visual designer Trevor Cleveland"?

Sure, Netflix has a partnership with Microsoft in the same way it partners with Sony, Nintendo, and TV manufacturers. However, the brunt of the design and programming work seems to be from Netflix's side. I seriously doubt Nintendo or TV manufacturers would take the time to write a Netflix app. Since it benefits Netflix the most and the UI is constant across platforms, I would think that Netflix would make it themselves.

 

[cmdrdredd]

It also has built in Kinect support but I don't subscribe to netflix so I can't tell you what it does.

 

[purbeast0]

Then how do they coordinate architectural changes across platforms, such as this?

Why does Microsoft redirect you to Netflix support?

Why does this article say that the xbone app was designed by "Netflix’s Lead UX Designer Michelle Koh and visual designer Trevor Cleveland"?

Sure, Netflix has a partnership with Microsoft in the same way it partners with Sony, Nintendo, and TV manufacturers. However, the brunt of the design and programming work seems to be from Netflix's side. I seriously doubt Nintendo or TV manufacturers would take the time to write a Netflix app. Since it benefits Netflix the most and the UI is constant across platforms, I would think that Netflix would make it themselves.

no clue about the other companies, but as i said, there used to be a post about it on their blog for 360. i'd assume its similar for the x1.

and i'm a developer, and there are 10 of us on a team working on 1 product, and there are people from 4 different companies working on it. and none of the 4 companies own the product. just because a netflix ui designer is working on it doesn't mean they own it. ms owns it. and they are making people have to pay for xbox live to use their product.

 

[Fingolfin269]

This tired old discussion again?

It really only matters if someone is truly signing up for Xbox Live just to use Netflix. Otherwise people are just arguing for the sake of arguing. I'd really like to know the numbers of people who have live specifically so they can use Netflix. Anyone here?

 

[Anteaus]

While I think it should be free such as Sony has it, I can see the reasoning behind requiring XBLG. Just as you pay your ISP to access the internet through their system, MS requires you to pay in order to use it's network resources.

I can definetly see both sides. I'm not trying to offer an opinion on whether it's ethical or not, only that it depends on how you see percieve the flow of data does it become justified. Usually when there is a middleman handling a transaction, an additional cost is acrued.

 

[Doppel]

This tired old discussion again?

It really only matters if someone is truly signing up for Xbox Live just to use Netflix. Otherwise people are just arguing for the sake of arguing. I'd really like to know the numbers of people who have live specifically so they can use Netflix. Anyone here?

It obviously matters. You allude to this by bemoaning the tired old argument. Ms knows it matters which is why they use netflix as another carrot to get people to join gold.

 

[Fingolfin269]

It obviously matters. You allude to this by bemoaning the tired old argument. Ms knows it matters which is why they use netflix as another carrot to get people to join gold.

Like I said, how many people here signed up for gold just to have Netflix and not to use any of the other features? How many people here know people who did this?

Man I can't believe I got pulled back into what is one of the oldest troll discussions in the PSN vs. Live wars.