by Rin Yeo
The highly anticipated debut of Netflix recently made its landing last Thursday. Priced from $10.98 per month, it is highly affordable and would seem that the great hype for it seemed to mean that demand would be great, however, despite all the fanfare, it seems like the response is unfortunately lukewarm.
Delving to the reasons behind the disappointment, well, apparently for those who already had access to the US version through VPN providers, switching to the local version provides them with no additional perks, and worse, the library available is also much lesser, due to censorship laws here in Singapore. Nonetheless, there are still some others who choose to have two subscriptions, as the local version allows for download of the app on mobile devices and easier viewing.
So should you get the local Netflix version?
Depending on your wants, the localised version has it’s perks – for one, there’s no need for a VPN just for your online viewing needs. Also, content available would have a mix that appeals to various market group, thus giving a much tailored direction geared to the benefit of the viewers. Of course, the downside, as mentioned above, is that content is much more restricted due to the governing laws, which probably means if your taste differs from mainstream, then well, you may not be able to get what you want.
That said though, with the entry of Netflix, this would also mean the opening up for more markets for international brands and name to take root here in Singapore. In fact, brace yourselves for Victoria’s Secret is coming soon too! (along with Apple’s SEA flagship store!)
