Netflix is considering making a special version of its shows just for the mobile generation. Earlier this week, Neil Hunt, Netflix chief product officer, said that the company might be exploring “mobile-specific cuts of its original movies and TV shows,” The Verge reported. This ought to appeal to the growing proportion of Netflix users who are consuming content primarily via their mobile devices.
“It’s not inconceivable that you could take a master [copy] and make a different cut for mobile,” Hunt said. And while Netflix hasn’t done this in the past, Hunt noted, “it’s something we will explore over the next few years.”
This certainly wouldn’t be the first time a content provider looked to create a mobile-specific experience. The NBA last year debuted a new Mobile View to make watching basketball games on your handheld device much easier. In fact, in order to cater to their mobile fans, the NBA introduced a dedicated camera, cameraman, and mobile producer to all 29 NBA arenas.
According to Hunt, Netflix would look to create versions of their shows with scenes or shots that can be seen more easily with a smartphone, or on a smaller screen. And while Netflix is doing a lot with HDR technology, which promises a wider range of colors on television sets, Hunt noted that HDR isn’t only for viewing on the big screen. There’s plenty of room for innovation in that area on smartphones as well, he said.
While Netflix consumption happens mostly on TVs here in the U.S. and in Canada, Hunt noted that consumers in other parts of the world are using other devices. In fact, in Asian countries like India, Hunt says, “mobile screens are the majority consumption device.”
