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Netflix CEO Hastings speaks about YouTube, iPhone, Xbox 360

23 September 2009 0:09 by Andre "DVDBack23" Yoskowitz | 7 comments

During an interview with Reuters, Netflix CEO Reed Hastings spoke out about the future of the physical DVD, as well as Netflix's plans for the iPhone, Xbox 360, PS3, Wii and possible competition from YouTube

The interview in its entirety:

Reuters: What will Netflix subscribers gain from the improvements in the recommendation system?

Hastings: It�s doubling the quality of our movie recommendation and that helps our subscribers get more enjoyment from movies. Because more often they love the movie they watch. More often the movies recommended will will turn out to be movies that you love. If you watch a couple of movies and don�t like many, you start to watch (sports and other programming). If every movie is incredible, you start to watch more.

Reuters: Netflix video streams on Microsoft�s Xbox Live system. What about the PS3 and Wii?
Hastings: Eventually we want to be on all the game consoles, all the Blu-ray players, all the Internet TVs. So we are working in parallel with all of those efforts. Currently our Xbox deal is exclusive and we haven�t characterized it more than that.

Reuters: Any plans to work in partnership with Apple and the iPhone?
Hastings: it�s something that�s likely to come over time. But nothing in the short term. (With) movie watching, we are not focused on mobile yet, but (instead) on the TV, on Blu-ray and on the video game consoles. We will get to mobile eventually, including the iPhone.

Reuters: What of Youtube�s potential movie service?
Hastings: I think there will be a lot of competition in this market: Hulu, Apple, Amazon, Youtube, Blockbuster. Internet video is a huge opportunity. And there will be a lot of people engaged, and that is going to be great for the consumer. All of us are going to innovate and compete with each other and provide more and more value to the consumer.

Reuters: How far along are we on the transition to all digital video watching?
Hastings: There will be people doing DVD-by-mail in 15 or 20 years, so I think DVD will last a long time. Our best guess is that DVD will peak for us in 5 or so years. But it is continuing to grow. And the streaming is exploding. So we are getting nice growth in the DVD side and huge growth on the streaming side.

Reuters: What do you make of Blockbuster�s store closing plan?
Hastings: Blockbuster and Redbox really compete on doing the inexpensive new releases, and we are much more the streaming and the catalog. Their closings don�t really benefit us. It will benefit Redbox more than it does us.

Reuters: Have you been approached about an acquisition or partnership?
Hastings: We don�t comment and any acquisition prospects.

Permalink to this article

PS3 to get Netflix streaming through BD-Live (26 October 2009)

Netflix Watch Instantly is going international in 2010 (23 October 2009)

Redbox to test selling DVDs through kiosks (18 October 2009)

Hulu launches Linux desktop client (9 October 2009)

Fox, Warner seeking Redbox lawsuit dismissal (3 October 2009)

USPS worker stole over 3,000 Netflix DVDs (26 September 2009)

NPD says Blu-ray going mainstream next year (26 September 2009)

PS3 sales hold up in Japan (26 September 2009)

iPhone owners reluctant to upgrade to firmware 3.1 (25 September 2009)

Sony confirms 250GB bundles with Blu-ray movies, games (24 September 2009)

iPhone headed to South Korea (23 September 2009)

EB Games will not stock PSP Go either, in Australia (23 September 2009)

No Wii price cut for UK gamers (23 September 2009)

Netflix gives $1 million award in recommendation contest (21 September 2009)

Netflix to hold second film recommendation contest (11 August 2009)

Netflix streaming headed to Wii, iPhone? (5 August 2009)

Netflix sees large Q2 profit jump (27 July 2009)

Netflix 'Watch Instantly' added to Sony Bravia HDTVs (10 July 2009)

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Discuss this article!
KillerBug (Senior Member) 23 September 2009 6:17
I love how corporate types say two opposite things in at once: "we want to be on all the game consoles, all the Blu-ray players, all the Internet TVs. So we are working in parallel with all of those efforts. Currently our Xbox deal is exclusive and we haven�t characterized it more than that." He wants netflix on all game consoles and bluray players...the PS3 qualifies as both...yet they will not be bringing it to PS3 for a while because they signed an anti-trust deal with Microsoft. As much as he would like more customers, he would rather just sit back and let microsoft buy him a beach house. [ + quote]
glassd (Member) 23 September 2009 8:21
When done by the government, it�s called a bribe and it is illegal. But when done by Microsoft, it is called business as usual. [ + quote]
redux79 (Member) 23 September 2009 9:10
*Quote:* Currently our Xbox deal is exclusive and we haven�t characterized it more than that. It's funny like many others I had the dilemma of choosing a primary console, news like this actually makes me root for the big evil MS Corporation. When the GTA and FF series went multi-plat I started leaning towards MS. With the announcement of the exclusive netflix deal I took the leap and haven't regretted it once. It's a strange feeling rooting for the big evil corporation as they throw more and more money at every problem, stomping all over the competition. Both other consoles interest me, but the thought of MS being a big bully fighting for me (in a manner of speaking) gives me a smile and a warm feeling inside... lol. [ + quote]
MReprogle (Member) 23 September 2009 12:29
*Quote:* *Quote:* Currently our Xbox deal is exclusive and we haven�t characterized it more than that. It's funny like many others I had the dilemma of choosing a primary console, news like this actually makes me root for the big evil MS Corporation. When the GTA and FF series went multi-plat I started leaning towards MS. With the announcement of the exclusive netflix deal I took the leap and haven't regretted it once. It's a strange feeling rooting for the big evil corporation as they throw more and more money at every problem, stomping all over the competition. Both other consoles interest me, but the thought of MS being a big bully fighting for me (in a manner of speaking) gives me a smile and a warm feeling inside... lol. haha, kinda nice having the big bully on your side in order to make your product better. Between Windows 7 and the 360, I don't have much of a reason to hate them either. [ + quote]
atomicxl (Junior Member) 23 September 2009 13:12
*Originally posted by glassd:* When done by the government, it�s called a bribe and it is illegal. But when done by Microsoft, it is called business as usual. That's like saying any agreement that involves some form of payment is a bribe. [ + quote]
Imapi (Newbie) 23 September 2009 13:56
[img][/img] [ + quote] This message has been edited since posting. Last time this message was edited on 23 September 2009 18:38
glassd (Member) 23 September 2009 14:10
*Quote:* *Originally posted by glassd:* When done by the government, it�s called a bribe and it is illegal. But when done by Microsoft, it is called business as usual. That's like saying any agreement that involves some form of payment is a bribe. No. I just feel that MS will buy their way rather create. And yes, i am aware that other companies do this just no where to the extent that MS does. [ + quote]