The quest for dominance in the online video streaming industry is shared across different services, each of them battling for your free time and attention, and of course, your wallet. While platforms like YouTube primarily rely on user-submitted content that is broadcasted for free, other platforms like Netflix and Amazon Prime Video aim to be more of a cable-replacement, offering premium-quality content usually behind a subscription paywall. But not everyone can experience premium paywalled content all the time, which makes it a little difficult to entice potential subscribers to part with their money. One way is to offer lower payment threshold plans to lower the barrier of affordability, and Netflix is building up on it by now offering a few of its original shows and movies for everyone to watch for free, even without needing a Netflix account.
As spotted by OnlyTech, Netflix is now offering non-subscribers the ability to watch Netflix Original series and movies for free without needing to create a Netflix account. The list of content available could possibly vary across regions, but here are the titles available in India:
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Series:
- Stranger Things
- Elite
- Boss Baby - Back in Business
- When They See Us
- Love is Blind
- Our Planet
- Grace and Frankie
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Movie:
- Murder Mystery
- Bird Box
- The Two Popes
All of these titles are available to play with a simple click on desktop and Android browsers. iOS browsers are not supported. Curiously, you can't watch these for free on the official Netflix app on Android or on Android TV.
What's the catch, you ask? The only catch that we could spot was the fact that only the first episode is available to watch for free for the listed series.
In a statement to NDTV Gadgets, Netflix offered the following statement:
We're looking at different marketing promotions to attract new members and give them a great Netflix experience.
There is no indication that this marketing promotion is temporary, but it's best to make hay while the sun still shines. These movies and shows might not be enough by themselves to convince users to opt for an annual subscription, but they might just be the kickstart needed to get some consumers onto the more basic and monthly subscription plans, just to find out what happens next in the series.