Netflix Streaming Starts in 130 More Countries
January 06, 2016
Popular U.S. streaming video company Netflix began offering its service in 130 more countries around the world with the noticeable exception of China.
While popular, the company has seen slowing growth in the U.S. The service was already offered in 60 countries, and the company has said its goal is to be in 200 countries by the end of the year.
«[We are now in] nearly every country of the world but China,» CEO Reed Hastings said at the Consumer Electronics Show on Wednesday in Las Vegas. «You are witnessing the birth of a global TV network.»
Some of the notable countries included among the 130 were India, Nigeria, Russia and Saudi Arabia. In July, the company said it would also target China but that plans to launch there in 2016 have been delayed.
Netflix started off as a mail-order DVD renting service, but in recent years has evolved into a content producer with popular shows like House of Cards, Orange Is The New Black, and Narcos.
Netflix said it expects to break even through 2016 before becoming profitable. The company’s stock spiked over 5 percent on the news.
«I think there’s been pent-up demand for Netflix outside of the few geographies they were available in previously,» Brian Blau, research director at Gartner, told Reuters.
While Netflix does not offer its service in China, it added simplified and traditional Chinese to the 17 languages it currently supports.
Most of the countries added by Netflix Wednesday are in Africa and Asia.