Netflix teams up with Microsoft for ad-supported subscription plan

Netflix will soon have a subscription plan with ads so it can offer cheaper rates. Customers will be able to register for a subscription for less since the option will have ads while streaming.

To make this option possible, Netflix chose Microsoft to be its partner, and this was announced on Wednesday, July 13. As per CNN Business, the collaboration was announced almost three months after the American video streaming company revealed its plans to add an ad-supported subscription plan to bring the rates down and be able to offer a low-priced plan.

It was said that for years, the company has been trying to avoid having ads in its streaming services, but due to the difficult periods that was experienced recently, Netflix's chief executive officer, Reed Hastings, decided it is time to do the option or the company will suffer even more.

The decision was also made after Netflix started losing subscribers for the first time in its 25-year history. Thus, it was the toughest period for the company. Netflix shared this week that the new ad-supported subscription plan is in "very early days," and they are working to make it a good option for subscribers around the world.

"In April we announced that we will introduce a new lower-priced ad-supported subscription plan for consumers, in addition to our existing ads-free basic, standard, and premium plans," Netflix's chief operating officer and chief product officer, Greg Peters, said in a statement. "Today we are pleased to announce that we have selected Microsoft as our global advertising technology and sales partner.

He went on to say, "Microsoft has the proven ability to support all our advertising needs as we work together to build a new ad-supported offering. More importantly, Microsoft offered the flexibility to innovate over time on both the technology and sales side, as well as strong privacy protections for our members."

Meanwhile, Netflix's long-term goal for adding this new subscription option is to offer more choices for the customers. It wants to provide them with a premium, better-than-linear TV experience without having to pay a lot for such kind of service.