Netflix is testing the ability to let users experience an audio-only version of its movies. The new option could be a great way to take a break from screens and still binge-watch your favorite shows.
Netflix’s move to offer movies without visuals is an attempt to compete with the growing popularity of podcasts and other forms of screen-free entertainment. Audio is the fastest-growing interface, and with shutdowns due to the coronavirus pandemic, many people are looking for alternatives for entertainment, experts say.
“Many people are experiencing ‘screen fatigue,’ and this provides a way to enjoy Netflix content without screen time,” Debika Sihi, an associate professor of economics and business at Southwestern University, said in an email interview. “The growing popularity of podcasts and audiobooks has created the foundation for consuming audio content. From an operational perspective, this mode uses less data. This is likely to be a welcome option as data plans everywhere are stretched to max.”
Netflix is going to offer users a podcast-like experience for its shows, Android Police first reported. It has launched a test of an audio-only option for Android, allowing users to disable video and listen to only the audio of a TV show or movie in the background.