Netflix CEO and co-founder Reed Hastings announced a massive new global expansion for the company.
Netflix binge watching might become the next global pastime courtesy of the company’s recent massive push into new markets. The announcement of Netflix’s expansion into dozens of countries was fittingly made by CEO and co-founder Reed Hastings during CES 2016.
“Today you are witnessing the birth of a new global Internet TV network,” Hastings told attendees of his Jan. 6 CES 2016 keynote opening address. As Hastings spoke, Netflix officially went live to more than 130 new countries worldwide.
Put on by the Consumer Electronics Association, CES is considered “the world’s gathering place for all who thrive on the business of consumer technologies,” a CEA media release on Hastings’ appearance stated. The conference took place Jan. 6-9 in Las Vegas.
A map of Netflix’s total coverage area nearly spans the globe, with all of North and South America, Africa, Australia and Europe now able to access such original shows as “Marcos” and “Grace and Frankie,” along with other streaming content. Notably missing from the map is China, which Netflix says is still an option being explored.
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Netflix is also not available in Syria, North Korea and Crimea because of U.S. government restrictions on American companies doing business in those countries. Cuba, which recently achieved more normalized relations with the U.S., now has access to Netflix.
Despite the lack of coverage in China, the addition of India is considered a major win for the streaming television and movie provider. With its estimated population of more than 1.2 billion, India is undisputedly the largest new market for Netflix. Consumers there will pay an estimated 500 rupees per month for the service on a single screen, which adds up to just under $7.50 in American dollars.
While English remains the primary language used by the service, the Jan. 6 expansion also brought some additions on this front, as well. The service is now available in Arabic, Korean, Simplified and Traditional Chinese and the 17 languages it already supported.
“From today onwards, we will listen and we will learn, gradually adding more languages, more content and more ways for people to engage with Netflix,” Hastings promised.
Whether the world will embrace Netflix and binge watching remains to be seen, but with more than 190 countries now able to access the service, time will certainly tell.
