Netflix responds to frenzy surrounding 1.5x viewing speed test
The streaming service says it's always testing new features and this is no different.
- She received the Renau Writing Scholarship in 2016 from the University of Louisville's communication department.
It's fair to say that Hollywood freaked out when Netflix hinted at the possibility of watching TV and movies at 1.5x speed. It would take bingeing a show to a whole new level. News surfaced on Monday about Netflix's tests, and now the streaming service has responded to all the brouhaha.
Keela Robison, Netflix's vice president, wrote in a blog post on Monday that the 1.5x speed test is for mobile and tablet users only -- it won't affect TVs . You can stick to normal speed, slow it down (0.5X or 0.75X) or speed it up (1.25X and 1.5X), a feature that Robison pointed out has been on DVD players for quite a while.
In addition, the speed settings aren't all that's being tested this month. Netflix is also working on playback controls that will alter the brightness on your phone without going into settings, lock your screen and find your language and audio settings more easily. Robison said the company also corrected the audio pitch at slower and faster speeds.
As with most tests, Netflix says there are no plans to roll them out in the short term. Whether the features are introduced wider depends on feedback, according to Robison.
