After a tumultuous third quarter the numbers are finally in for Netflix, and as expected its price hike and Qwikster madness have cost it a few customers in the US. Currently the company is reporting a total of 23.79 million customers in the US, down from 24.59 million last quarter — fewer than even it projected a few weeks ago. According to the report, it lost more “long term” customers than expected, which it attributes, again, to its poor explanation of the reasoning behind the change. To address those decisions and its inability to reach a new deal with Starz it has a few more numbers to show, as apparently only 7 percent of new customers are opting for the $15.98 hybrid package, while Starz Play content currently accounts for about six percent of streaming hours. Other competitors get it too — Amazon Prime Instant Video’s content library is referred to as “duplicative” and just a “small fraction” of what Netflix offers, as it counts on newly-signed exclusive deals to widen the gap.

We’ll dig through the report more and tune in to their earnings call in a bit, hit the source link to check out the PDF for yourself.

…developing

Netflix US subscriber count drops by 800k in Q3, 21.45 million still streaming originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 24 Oct 2011 16:17:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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“You don’t have to be a computer scientist to use a Windows Phone,” said Microsoft’s Steve Ballmer, “but you do to use an Android phone.” He was addressing the Web 2.0 summit in San Francisco, where we guess his audience must have included a large but silent population of Android-loving non-scientists. In any case, the Redmond CEO also revealed that he just can’t get “excited” about Android phones, which proves that anything can be boring if you’re rich enough — including raking in up to $15 per Android handset in cross-licensing deals. On a serious note, though, HTC’s latest Titan handset shows off the Mango experience at its best and it is simpler than Google’s OS. If Windows Phone sales eventually pick up despite the buzz over Android 4.0, then the point beneath Ballmer’s bluster might not seem so unreasonable.

CE-Oh no he didn’t: Steve Ballmer lays into Android originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 19 Oct 2011 08:24:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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“You don’t have to be a computer scientist to use a Windows Phone,” said Microsoft’s Steve Ballmer, “but you do to use an Android phone.” He was addressing the Web 2.0 summit in San Francisco, where we guess his audience must have included a large but silent population of Android-loving non-scientists. In any case, the Redmond CEO also revealed that he just can’t get “excited” about Android phones, which proves that anything can be boring if you’re rich enough — including raking in up to $15 per Android handset in cross-licensing deals. On a serious note, though, HTC’s latest Titan handset shows off the Mango experience at its best and it is simpler than Google’s OS. If Windows Phone sales eventually pick up despite the buzz over Android 4.0, then the point beneath Ballmer’s bluster might not seem so unreasonable.

CE-Oh no he didn’t: Steve Ballmer lays into Android originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 19 Oct 2011 08:24:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Google Music may well be lacking a little spice right now, but here at AsiaD, SVP Andy Rubin just confirmed that his company’s “very close” to coming up with a digital download store, just as rumored earlier this month. Additionally, this service will even include “a little twist” of some sort, so we should expect something more than just an ordinary MP3 store. While record companies weren’t willing to bargain with the company in the way they were with Apple, Andy said he’s feeling mighty optimistic that Google’s “almost there” with ironing out the necessary deals, so Android fans should sit tight and keep an eye out for a launch soon.

Google’s ‘very close’ to launching a digital download store with ‘a little twist’ originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 19 Oct 2011 07:08:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Google Music may well be lacking a little spice right now, but here at AsiaD, SVP Andy Rubin just confirmed that his company’s “very close” to coming up with a digital download store, just as rumored earlier this month. Additionally, this service will even include “a little twist” of some sort, so we should expect something more than just an ordinary MP3 store. While record companies weren’t willing to bargain with the company in the way they were with Apple, Andy said he’s feeling mighty optimistic that Google’s “almost there” with ironing out the necessary deals, so Android fans should sit tight and keep an eye out for a launch soon.

Google’s ‘very close’ to launching a digital download store with ‘a little twist’ originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 19 Oct 2011 07:08:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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There may be a healthy selection of new PlayStation kits coming your way in the near future. Images of unannounced bundle boxes have surfaced over at Slickdeals, courtesy of Scream777, who claims to work at a package production facility that makes ‘em. Those include a previously unknown Mayhem Edition PS Move kit with a Sharpshooter peripheral and the newest Resistance and Killzone titles, while a Complete Entertainment Bundle packs a 160GB PS3 Slim with a free month of PlayStation Plus and the latest Little Big Planet and Ratchet and Clank. Gaming blog Gimme Gimme Games claims that the CEB will be $250, with Scream777 noting that its order invoice lists it as a Black Friday special. Adding credence to the leak, said poster also threw in box shots of the 320GB Uncharted 3 bundle and Goldeneye 007: Reloaded Sharpshooter set — both of which are currently available for pre-order. Here’s to hoping it all proves true, but in the meantime, you’ll find more details in the links below.

New PS3 and PS Move bundles leaked by box manufacturer, Black Friday deal evidently in tow originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 17 Oct 2011 13:44:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Apple’s iCloud may have only just launched but according to rumors reported by the LA Times and Wall Street Journal, it’s already negotiating with Hollywood to add movies to the service (funny how things have changed in five years.) The timing is particularly curious because Apple, along with Disney, is one of the notable holdouts from the movie studio-backed Ultraviolet scheme with similar buy once / stream anywhere aspirations that just hit the streets this week. However, according to “people familiar with the matter” it could allow Ultraviolet access on iThings via app, while also bringing its usual media lock-in magic by also throwing in streaming copies of any flicks purchased on iTunes, but only on its own hardware. Recently activated streaming of purchased TV shows to the Apple TV shows the cloud’s potential, but we’ll have to wait for deals to be signed before that North Carolina datacenter puts Hollywood’s best on its to-do list.

Apple reportedly trying to add movie streaming to its iCloud originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 13 Oct 2011 05:25:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Earlier this summer, a judge in The Netherlands ruled to ban sales of Samsung Galaxy S, S II and Ace smartphones, stating that the devices violated an Apple patent which deals with a “method of scrolling.” Well, nearly two months have passed, and Samsung is just now getting around to releasing “upgraded” versions of the affected devices, presumably implementing a non-infringing scroll tool. A Samsung spokesman told Reuters that the three phones will “shortly be available for sale,” neglecting to provide an exact release date — so we wouldn’t suggest lining up to get your Galaxy S II fix just yet. This small victory is only the latest in the Apple / Samsung lawsuit saga, which has created quite a stir in a handful of courts around the world. We have yet to hear about a solution to the Galaxy Tab 10.1 ban in Australia, for example, where fingers are being pointed in every direction.

Samsung modifies Galaxy smartphones to satisfy Dutch court, plans to resume sales soon originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 12 Oct 2011 08:39:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The Netflix Contrition Tour 2011 continues today, as the company announced today that it won’t be spinning off DVD-by-mail rentals into a new company called Qwikster. While the plan for DVD operations to be separated internally appears to still be under way (no word yet on the promised videogame rental option), for customers things will stay the same, with one login and one website. While the retreat will probably prompt even more speculation about the company’s true plans, CEO Reed Hastings has issued yet another apology to customers, admitting Netflix may have moved too fast this time.

Another sticky issue that’s not so easily dealt with is the recent pricing change that took effect last month. While many speculated at the time about what percentage of customers would see higher prices as a result, spokesperson Steve Swasey reveals it affected about half of the company’s subscribers. For the rest who had signed up for the $7.99-streaming only package (an option selected by the overwhelming majority in the quarter before the change) prices didn’t go up at all. We have our own ideas about what the pricing should be, but it seems Netflix has finally realized not all customers got the message that it’s a streaming company now, and tacking DVDs onto its new primary offering for only $2 extra just didn’t work. Since all that uproar Netflix has announced a few new / expanded content deals for its streaming service, with Discovery and exclusive rights to previous seasons of The Walking Dead from AMC. But with renewed competition from the likes of Blockbuster and Amazon only time will tell if it can do enough to stop the subscriber bleeding. The Netflix Q3 earnings report is due October 24th — think that will be an interesting call to listen in on?

Continue reading Netflix backtracks on Qwikster, will keep DVDs and streaming under the same URL

Netflix backtracks on Qwikster, will keep DVDs and streaming under the same URL originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 10 Oct 2011 08:00:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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When Nathan Mhyrvold’s Intellectual Ventures firm isn’t striking licensing deals with technology companies, it’s usually suing them, and you can now add one more big name to that latter group. This time it’s Motorola, which IV says it has been in discussions with for “some time,” but which it has ultimately been unable to come to an agreement with on a license. A total of six patents covering a fairly wide variety of functions are included in the suit, which was filed in a Delaware federal court, although that’s just a small fraction of the more than 35,000 total intellectual property assets owned by the company. For its part, Motorola is remaining mum on the matter, while IV said in a statement that while its “goal continues to be to provide companies with access to our portfolio through licensing and sales,” it will “not tolerate ongoing infringement of our patents to the detriment of our current customers and our business.”

Intellectual Ventures takes aim at Motorola over alleged patent infringement originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 06 Oct 2011 15:52:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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