It’s been rumored for months but Netflix has finally announced that they’ll start charging an additonal $1 a month to customers who want Blu-Ray movies. The Netflix Team emails:
As you may know, Blu-ray movies are more expensive than standard definition movies. As a result, we’re going to start charging $1 a month (plus applicable taxes), in addition to your monthly membership charge, for unlimited access to Blu-ray movies.
The additional charge for unlimited Blu-ray access will be automatically added to your next billing statement on or after November 5th, 2008.
While there’s been some gnashing of teeth about this prospect on the tech sites, complaining that Netflix is punishing early adopters, the rationale is reasonable enough.
The problem, however, is that a piddly portion of the movies and television shows we rent from Netflix are available in Blu-ray. That means the vast majority of discs we get are in standard definition. As you may know, standard definition movies are less expensive than Blu-ray movies.
So, really, they’re charging an extra buck for the possibility that they’ll send me hi-def movies, not the actuality of it.
