Netflix testing unskippable video promos between shows

Netflix always has been known for promoting content without any ads bringing an uninterrupted TV watching experience for the users. Netflix has touted its ad-free experience for the users until now which has been one of the positive aspects of the media service platform. Now, it appears that the company is planning to go old-school as it is testing ads on its platform between the shows. Yes, that's correct, going further users might see ads in between their favorite show on Netflix.

According to some reports from the TechCrunch, Netflix has started testing video promos and ads that play in between an episode of the show which a user is streaming on the platform. The ads played are full-screen videos and are personalized as per the user featuring content which Netflix would have suggested the user otherwise on the platform's interface such as on a row of recommendations. The video promos also displace the preview information of the next episode of the TV show which the user is watching. The displaced information consists of the title, description, and thumbnail which earlier appeared on the right side of the screen.

It is being reported that Cord Cutters News had first spotted the test which was followed by the complaints made by users on Reddit. Also, a number of users had also tweeted regarding the new developments on Twitter.

However, the introduction of ads in between an episode is not a feature which Netflix is rolling out to the users, rather, it is among one of the many tests which Netflix runs every year. Most of these tests are carried out with a focus to promote the Netflix's original content to the consumers.

Also, an original Reddit post mentioned that the new video promos are 'unskippable.' There is a Continue button with a countdown timer on it which is similar to the one user can notice on a YouTube ad.

Netflix has also released a statement regarding the same and has stated that:

"At Netflix, we conduct hundreds of tests every year so we can better understand what helps members more easily find something great to watch. A couple of years ago, we introduced video previews to the TV experience, because we saw that it significantly cut the time members spend browsing and helped them find something they would enjoy watching even faster. Since then, we have been experimenting even more with video based on personalized recommendations for shows and movies on the service or coming shortly, and continue to learn from our members."

The video promos feature is currently being tested with a limited percentage of Netflix users. Thankfully, this is not a global update and it remains to be seen whether Netflix will introduce this feature for its platform in the coming days.