Netflix is introducing a new button that will enable views to ‘skip’ the opening credits on original and third-party content alike.
The new button will be welcomed by binge and repeat watchers who just want to cut to the action, rather than sit through a lengthy opening sequence.
The company already has next episode tech that enables viewers to jump from the end credits to the next installment in the season, but this takes things a step further.
Earlier on Friday we reported that Netflix will no longer give subscribers the opportunity to play movie critic by carefully considering star ratings to inform future recommendations and aid the community at large.
From April, Netflix will drop its 1-5 system in favour of a simple thumbs up/down, because thumbs have “become the language of the global internet.”
“Five stars feels very yesterday now,” Todd Yellin, Netflix’s VP of product innovation says (via FastCompany).
He said the star system “really projects what you think you want to tell the world. But we want to move to a system where it’s really clear, when members rate, that it’s for them, and to keep on making the Netflix experience better and better.”
Related: Netflix Offline Viewing – How to make it work for you
Users will be able to choose whether they want to see thumbs up/down down scores, but in A/B tests Netflix said the simpler like/dislike system increased the likelihood viewers would rate the content by 200%.
The new system will be accompanied by a new “percent match” feature that uses previous viewing history to predict whether viewers will like a TV show or movie.
High matches will be around 88%, less strong fits could be around 60% and matches under 50% won’t be displayed.
Will you be sad to see star ratings go the way of the dodo? Or are you pleased that a like/dislike will do more to improve your recommendations? Drop us a line in the comments.
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Editorial independence
Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
