Stan launches offline downloads, 4K streaming coming soon
Your commute is about to suck a lot less: Stan has launched offline viewing across its platform, with plans to bring 4K streaming from next month.
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The new season of "Better Call Saul" will be available in 4K and to download for offline viewing this year on Stan.
Updated on March 22: Stan has now launched offline viewing, allowing you to download shows to go.
Offline downloads, 4K streaming, a fresh lineup of originals... you'd be forgiven for thinking we were talking about Netflix , but think again.
Stan, Australia's home-grown subscription video on-demand player, is taking the fight to its massive US competitor with a bunch of new features this year, including the ability to download shows to view offline and 4K streaming. All of this just two months after Netflix announced a similar move into offline downloads.
It's a big move for a company that celebrated its second birthday on Australia Day this year, and the timing couldn't be better: With the closure of the Foxtel-backed streaming service Presto last month, Stan and Netflix are the two big names remaining. And Stan clearly wants to take a bigger slice of the pie.
Here's the lowdown on what Stan customers will get from next month.
Offline streaming
From March, Stan says subscribers using the iOS and Android apps will be able to download "thousands of hours of TV series and films" for watching without an internet connection. No details on exactly how much will be available offline or how quickly the catalogue will become available, but the company says it is ensuring that the "vast majority" of its lineup will be available to download
Some of the shows mentioned include every season of "Sherlock," plus "Twin Peaks," "Better Call Saul," "Breaking Bad," and Stan's big Showtime program acquisition "Billions."
4K, erryday
From April, Stan is promising a "huge range" of content in 4K. The Ultra HD content will be viewable on 2015 and 2016 model Samsung and LG TVs and the PS4 Pro, with more compatible devices coming "throughout the year."
Titles available in 4K will once again include "Better Call Saul" and "Breaking Bad," plus "Transparent," "Power," "Preacher," "Mozart in the Jungle" and Stan originals "Wolf Creek" and "No Activity."
Originals
Stan's big local and overseas hit "Wolf Creek" is coming back for a second season, giving you more time to realise just how much the murderous Mick Taylor looks like your uncle.
The company will also launch a series called "One Night Stan" featuring weekly comedy specials from the likes of Wil Anderson, Judith Lucy, Tom Gleeson and Tom Ballard, all filmed exclusively for the streaming service.
And the other cool new stuff
In terms of other programming wins, Stan announced that it will be the new streaming home of Cartoon Network (bringing with it shows like "Regular Show" and "Adventure Time"). There are also big premieres like the new seasons of "Twin Peaks" and "Ash vs Evil Dead" and the Jim Carrey-produced drama "I'm Dying Up Here" about the '70s stand up scene.
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