Andre Yoskowitz
29 Oct 2008 21:00
Netflix has announced that Xbox 360 owners who are subscribers to the rental service will be the first to receive HD streaming capability for Netflix's 15,000 strong streaming library.
The feature will be added on November 19th with the launch of the "New Xbox Experience" dashboard update.
According to Steve Swasey, vice president of marketing at Netflix, 300 HD titles will be available at launch and that Microsoft is implementing a soft rollout for the service.
"As we're adding content to the site all the time, we will continue to add high-def content, but it's not the major emphasis because it is a small number in the total 12,000 [videos] available to stream," Swasey added.
To be able to use the service you must have an Xbox Live account and be a Netflix subscriber with a plan that costs more than $5 USD a month, the minimum.
"Netflix has been on a roll. They realize that partnerships are integral in the connected world we live in today. The HD thing is really interesting. I can see a business model emerging in the long term where they charge for the streaming. It makes sense. It's a great value add," added Joshua Martin, a Yankee Group analyst.