Ever feel like treating yourself to a few episodes of Arrested Development, Daredevil or Orange is the New Black on the commute home, only to fight the temptation because it wreaks havoc on your data plan?
Netflix feels your pain, so it announced today that it's adding controls to its iOS and Android apps that let users manage how fast they hemorrhage data when streaming movies and TV on the go.
Netflix estimates that the new default streaming rate of 600Kb per second equates to approximately three hours of watch time per gigabyte, which is a fair compromise of quality versus quantity.
Users can up the streaming rate for a crisper image - though spend more gigs over time - or turn the valve off completely so those with limited data plans don't accidentally use up their precious 'bytes.
You're in control
For the bold - or, rather, those with unlimited data - the settings also allow unchecked streaming over cellular. However, the app advises against this if you have to ration out a monthly data supply and want to avoid overage fees.
"Our goal is to give you more control and greater choice in managing your data usage whether you're on an unlimited mobile plan or one that's more restrictive," writes Eddy Wu, Director of Product Innovation at Netflix, noting that cellular providers and network conditions may still have the final say on how a device consumes its data.
Lesser-quality streams or not, being able to squeeze in a few more episodes of Bob's Burgers from our phones without having to camp out at a Wi-Fi hotspot is just graaaavy with us.
