Netflix gives the people what they want—offline streaming
Need a movie to watch on long flight? Netflix now lets you download its titles to watch offline: https://t.co/6aARwBQFMn
— WIRED (@WIRED) November 30, 2016
You asked, and they delivered. Mobile Netflix users can now download content to watch offline. This game changer means you can watch a Netflix film on a long flight, on the underground or wherever you happen to be offline. To access this feature, make sure your app is updated, then head to “Available to Download.” For offline capabilities, Netflix had to acquire more licensing, so not every film and TV show is accessible. But don’t fear—all Netflix original content is available, as well as numerous classics.
Instagram looks to cut in on Snapchat’s sports success
#Instagram gets into college sports with its new 'Correspondents Program.' https://t.co/YJzdc38CqU
— We are Social Media (@WeRSM) December 1, 2016
Snapchat has revolutionised how people all over the world engage with sports content. Lately, Instagram seems to be taking page after page out of Snapchat’s book, with Instagram Stories and disappearing messages. Now, the Facebook-owned platform is looking to increase college students’ use of Stories through sports. The Correspondents Program will have students creating behind-the-scenes content for college football teams. There are currently seven teams enrolled in the program, and the company will assign one student per team. Reaching out to a younger audience makes sense, but this generation of social media users are more cynical. Instagram may face the challenge of getting students to fully embrace the program, when many of them are already devoted to Snapchat.
Facebook hopes Instant Games will get people to spend more time on Messenger
Facebook Messenger launches Instant Games mobile web platform https://t.co/uuDjSfg4pQ
— TechCrunch (@TechCrunch) November 30, 2016
This week, Facebook launched classic games, such as Pac-Man and Space Invaders, on Messenger. The social media company has streamlined the process, eliminating the necessity of downloading a separate app. They’ve released 17 games, both old and new, across 30 countries, and users can battle friends for high scores. Facebook hopes this will encourage users to spend more time on the messaging app. There’s also the potential for more business deals; in the future, Instant Games could generate revenue in the form of ad dollars from developers promoting their games. Facebook has been struggling to play catch up lately, piggy-backing off of apps such as Snapchat, but this latest update is an innovative way to keep Messenger users engaged.
YouTube wants you to know it’s still the king of video
YouTube now supports 4K live-streaming for both 360-degree and standard video https://t.co/MgyrItPMFc pic.twitter.com/gMgq2KPc7I
— The Verge (@verge) December 1, 2016
4K video has been available on YouTube since 2010, and now it’s coming to live streaming, in both standard and 360 degrees. In today’s age, high quality video is a must, and this could give YouTube the edge over competitors. Both Facebook Live and Periscope stream up to 720p at 30 fps, while YouTube can stream up to 4K at 60 fps. This isn’t your average HD video, as it has 4 times the image definition of 1080p. With live streaming on the rise, will this clearer picture lead companies to choose YouTube over its competitors?
