It’s almost impossible to remember a time when Netflix didn’t exist. The streaming subscription service has changed the way people watch movies and TV series forevermore. Long gone are the days where you have to sit through ads when watching a movie you have been anticipating, and now toilet and snack breaks can be taken whenever with the help of the pause button. It’s no doubt that Netflix has made viewing the world’s best content easier and offers one of the most affordable ways people can be entertained. So, to celebrate its success, here are some interesting facts that you probably didn’t know about the franchise.
It Saved a Marriage
The marriage of Netflix’s CEO Reed Hastings, that is. After being charged 40 dollars for keeping the Apollo 13 rental video beyond its due date, he did not want to have to bring up the late rental costs to his wife, who was growing displeased with Hastings’ habit of keeping films for longer than permitted. Because of this, the first Netflix seed was planted after Hastings believed that gyms had a better business model, allowing customers to use the equipment at the facility as frequently as they wished after paying a set amount of fees. Consequently, the concept of Netflix involves requiring only a subscription fee to view all its contents as often as the user pleases.
Originally a DVD Mail-Order Service
Before the idea for a streaming service came about, it was first introduced as a DVD mail-order service. Where people could pay for the DVD rental service and watch the films that come in the mail. However, the pay-for-use business model only lasted a year as soon after, Netflix switched to a subscription model. It took almost a decade for the enterprise to become a streaming service. The service we know today has used innovative technology that has changed the way people watch TV forever.
Netflix has about 207.64 million subscribers worldwide and serves about 6 billion hours of content to almost every country. Because of the streaming service’s huge success, many people are fascinated by its history and architecture. The folks at zype.com/blog/netflix-tech-stack explain that the innovative technology that brought us Netflix is just as impressive. You will be surprised to learn that Netflix went from a DVD mail order service to harnessing the power of a public cloud by steering away from a traditional data center. They also found that, by partnering with Amazon Web Services (AWS), operating costs could be drastically reduced, which is why Netflix is one of the most affordable streaming services to date.
Netflix Popularized the Term Binge-Watch
Although the term has been around since the early 1990s, it didn’t grow to be as popular as it is now until Netflix came into existence. Since the streaming service offers people the chance to watch a full series, episode by episode in one day, it has been reported that at least 60% of Netflix subscribers binge-watch shows at least once every few weeks.
Employees Love Working at Netflix
This company is not only changing the way we watch entertainment, but it also changes the way people work. Employees at Netflix are permitted to take as many days off as they need as long as their work doesn’t suffer in the process and they give their employer prior notice. They get a starting pay of 18 dollars per hour and a free membership.
Netflix Wanted to Partner with Blockbuster
Blockbuster was known to be the biggest rental franchise from 1985 to 2010 which is why Netflix’s Reed Hasting considered selling Netflix to them in the year 2000. He originally wanted to take on the Blockbuster name and sell a 49% stake to have Netflix become Blockbuster’s online service. However, Blockbuster did not want a piece of the action at the time and the famous rental store is now a historical anecdote that conjures up a lot of nostalgia for a generation. If only they had some foresight into Netflix’s popularity!
Most Releases of Original Content
Netflix had released 126 original movies and shows on their streaming service by the end of 2016, which is more than any other cable channel or TV station. However, the most binge-watched series on the service was Orange is the new black but their original series Bridgerton had 82 million views, becoming the most-watched show.
Netflix is available all around the world, offering quality service to every household. The only countries missing out on this innovative and entertaining gem are China, North Korea, Crimea, and Syria. Thanks to Netflix, users watch about 90 minutes of content per day and we’re not complaining, because staying home has never been better.
