The Buffer Icon is usually seen by the user when connecting to streaming services or media libraries while on the go; Due to poor internet connection. To overcome such situations, the Offline service can be used – without an Internet connection – to avoid long waiting periods to re-download the videos.
And the user can play media contents from streaming services without an Internet connection is less complicated than it seems; Since all streaming services rely in their applications on a function that caches content, so that content can be recalled later without an Internet connection.
The feature of this function is not limited to just on the go; A media spokeswoman for ARD Media Library explained that parents are taking advantage of this function in particular to download appropriate content for their children on tablets or smartphones before traveling.
Obvious advantages
Maximilian Reichlin, an expert in broadcasting applications in Munich, explained that there are clear advantages to the “Offline” function; It allows you to enjoy watching movies and series even when the Internet connection is poor or highly volatile, such as homes with poor reception or while traveling and commuting.
The “offline” function is usually available for a fee, and Reichlin added, “This function is available in particular in broadcast services, which depend on the free model and are financed by advertisements, where the (offline) function is an incentive for the user to move to the paid account.”
The “Offline” function is also available on paid accounts on YouTube and other video streaming services that provide their services for free.
But with “Netflix” or “Disney+” platforms, no content is available for free, so the “Offline” function is considered an essential part of the paid subscription.
However, content uploaded from streaming services or media libraries is not always available; “Unlike full content downloads, the contents can only be viewed within the app,” lawyer Christian Solmecke explained. It depends on the duration of operation of the respective licenses.
Public media libraries can offer much of their content for a specified period of time, after which the relevant content disappears from the “offline” view, and of course not all content is available in “offline” mode.
“This function is not always available with sporting events, for example,” said a spokesman for the second German television, “ZDF”. “It’s easier with the Netflix or Disney Plus platforms, because they often rely on their own content,” Reichlin added.
