Netflix has been rolling out new features that more or less target adults. Take, for instance, the recent Fast Laughs that is limited to adult profiles. One can say that a few features do extend to kids' profiles like Play Something, but, Netflix hasn't been too frequent with children-specific stuff.
However, it looks like all of this could change soon and we might just witness one that aims at kids' profiles.
A discovery by developer Steve Moser and a report from Bloomberg indicate that Netflix may soon roll out a TikTok-style short video option for children. The feature is already being beta tested and could be christened Kids Clips.
The report quotes unnamed sources to indicate that Kids Clips will show short videos from the company’s existing library of children’s programs and movies. In that respect, the feature isn't really a new offering, but one that is curated, algorithmically or otherwise, from the company's existing titles on the platform.
Or is it that Netflix has simply renamed Fast Laughs as Kids Clips and presented it as an entirely new feature for kids?
Just so you know, Fast Laughs offers a full-screen feed of funny clips from its comedy catalog, including films, series, sitcoms, and stand-up from comedians.
It appears the Kids Clips will be a similar feature, however, instead of picking just the comedy stuff, the feature will also fetch other content from Netflix’s big library for the younger audience. As per Moser’s findings, the feature will let younger users watch “funny, silly, and musical short-form clips from TV shows & movies.”
The report also appears to suggest that the video-streaming giant is experimenting with new features so to expose its customers to more titles in its catalog.
The shadow of TikTok looms...
Apart from some evident rivalry in the video-streaming industry, Netflix faces strong competition from TikTok, a platform that is known for hosting 15 seconds to three minute short videos from across an array of genres. It has been reported that users are hogging more content on TikTok than on any other platform, including Netflix.
A report from app analytics firm App Annie reveals users’ average watch time on TikTok is more than that of YouTube in the US. The reason is pretty plain and that is ease of accessibility. It is quite easy to consume bite-sized content than any long full-fledged show in this fast-paced lifestyle.
Netflix might not be losing ground here but TikTok’s vogue has impacted the video-streaming giant to at least some extent, though maybe not as much in India, given that the Chinese-owned app got banned since June 2020.
But not mindless scrolling…
TikTok began a trend in the market with several existing platform adopting one or the features from it. Take the case of Meta-owned Instagram which kickstarted Reels or a similar attempt from Twitter.
Netflix is no different. With Fast Laughs and the upcoming Kids Clips, Netflix wants its subscribers to keep hooked to its platform. However, Netflix is concerned here and doesn’t want kids to do mindless scrolling. So, kids will only be able to watch 10-20 clips at a time.
The Kids Clips will arrive on the iOS app but there is no word on when it would make its appearance on Android phones.
The report goes on to state that the Kids Clips will show videos horizontally as opposed to vertically in Fast Laughs. The feature will begin rolling out this week in the U.S. and Spanish-speaking countries in Latin America, as well as markets such as Canada, Australia, and Ireland.
We will keep you posted on its possible launch date in India. So, do watch this space.
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