Did you know that you can use the payment data linked to your App / iTunes / iBooks Store account to pay for other services, such as Netflix? Good, it was possible since last June the giant of the streaming video started to perform some tests in certain countries, including the Brazil, so that new subscribers register their payment information directly with the company through its website, as disclosed by TechCrunch.
Officially, Netflix said that it is “testing the iTunes payment method” and that, by September, more than 30 countries will be participating in these “tests”. In fact, the Los Gatos company is attempting to “circumvent” iTunes, stating that, until the end of this period, subscribers in Europe, Latin America and Asia will not be able to make payments using Apple service account data. Instead, new customers will be redirected to the Netflix website and will have to register payment details directly with the company.
Who announced the change was the website 360 Gadgets, from the Indian broadcaster New Delhi Television (NDTV). According to the report, five attempts were made to register using different iPhones / iPads, however, in none of them was it possible to create a new account using the device. The only options available are to recover a password and links to frequently asked questions.
A Netflix customer support employee confirmed to the TechCrunch that the tests have been in progress since last June and that, during that period, customers in the selected countries may experience the following situations when signing up using an iOS device (iPhone or iPad):
- Possibility to register with the service using only Apple ID data as a payment method;
- Possibility to log in to Netflix, but not to register being necessary to open the browser and access the service page.
That is, even with the tests in progress, in some situations it will still be possible to register using the information of the Apple ID as a form of payment, implying that the change is not definitive (for now). Still according to a Netflix spokesman, the company is “constantly innovating and testing new registration approaches on different platforms to better understand the habit of its customers”.
Although Netflix is ​​calling this test change, it is notable that the company is changing its relationship with other platforms to develop higher, direct revenue with its customers. So true, last May, the company stopped allowing new customers to use Google Play to pay for the service. For old customers, this payment method would be allowed unless it was changed by the user or if the subscription was canceled.
If this situation occurs, it will not be the first time that a service stops using Apple ID data to make payments. O Spotify it also removed that form of payment after additional charges levied on the subscription fee, as described on the Swedish service support page.
Until recently, it was possible to pay for Spotify Premium using Apple's in-app payment system (iAP). However, this option is no longer available to new subscribers.
The reason that Apple made an additional charge on the standard subscription fee, so we decided to eliminate the middleman to improve the price for you!
Apple has not released, for the time being, any answer about the "tests" performed by Netflix. We, of course, will continue to follow the case.
