No, Netflix does not lose its leadership: the game of shared accounts has gone well

Yesterday some media collected “Netflix is ​​no longer the most watched streaming platform after 15 years”, a bombastic headline that borders on the fake news because, being rigorous, the measuring rod they used to affirm such a thing is little more than anecdotal. Of course, it was such greedy information that it could quickly go viral, appealing to that feeling of rejection that the platform has generated in a certain sector of subscribers and ex-subscribers due to cancellations and, above all, the end of shared accounts, such and how they made it known by sharing this imprecise news.

If you are one of those who want to dance on a grave with the N engraved in stone, we are sorry, but, no, Netflix has not stopped being the leader of the sector. So, what are some media based on to affirm such a thing? What they actually collect is a graph from the JustWatch app on the use of subscription streaming platforms in the United States in which Amazon Prime Video surpasses, with 21%, Netflix for the first time, which remains with the 20% of the cake. And there they grab to launch the apocalyptic headline, omitting that the JustWatch data is not representative and they only respond to the use of their application by a limited group of users: they are, of course, not remotely official data on the number of subscribers of each platform.

So, What does the data say about which is the queen of video on demand? Netflix does provide its investors with data on a regular basis. The last one, just yesterday: the company has 232.5 million subscribers worldwide (and in the last quarter it added 1.75 million, which is a positive figure but close to stagnation). Amazon Prime Video, however, has been giving the same figure since 2021, which is none other than a vague “more than 200 million” worldwide and has not updated it. If they had more than their main competitor, they would already be in charge of letting us know with great fanfare, right?

The “debacle” of shared accounts has not been such

As we said, launching the inaccurate headline that Netflix loses leadership is a hook for collect the discomfort of those who are still angry with the platform for its change in policy regarding shared accounts, which affected Spain, Portugal, Canada and New Zealand since last February. It conveys the feeling that users, most or a good part of them, have turned their backs on the platform and it sees itself up to its neck in water as a result of its tyrannical and unpopular decision. Nothing is further from reality.

These four countries, including ours, were a kind of guinea pig with which the streaming company tested how the game could work out for them before launching it globally and, above all, before risking doing so in its main territory. USA. And, sadly for many and happily for them, we can assure you that it turned out wellsince yesterday they positively valued the experience and announced that they were going to expand it: “In the first quarter we launched the shared payment in four countries and we are satisfied with the results. We are planning a broader release, including the US, for the second quarter.“, assured the company to its investors.

Thus, this movement is unequivocal proof that Netflix has achieved what it wanted with its change regarding shared accounts: yes, many people will have unsubscribed, but many others will also have jumped through the hoops and created an account. new. How many are there on one side and on the other? That is not yet known, and they probably will not reveal it, but clearly it has turned out as they wanted. If not, they would have already backed down instead of taking another step forward.