Hulu catches up to Netflix in a crucial department on Android devices
A Netflix feature as old as time finally came to the Hulu app for iPhones and iPads just a couple of weeks ago, and as promised, the offline viewing functionality is rapidly expanding to Android devices. According to multiple online reports, the video streaming platform's Android subscribers are already allowed to download content on their phones and watch popular shows and movies when disconnected from the internet.
It goes without saying how convenient that can be when traveling to a place with poor or no network connectivity whatsoever. Unfortunately, just like Netflix, Hulu has restrictions in place to limit the number of titles you can download for offline viewing and the period of time you can hold on to your downloaded content. The Disney-owned platform's limits seem exceedingly strict, though, as Hulu subscribers are only permitted to download up to 25 titles across 5 different devices, while getting 30 days to watch their offline content before it expires.
Last but certainly not least, it's important to keep in mind the download functionality is exclusively available on No Ads plans typically priced at $11.99 a month. Those subscribed to Hulu's $5.99 a month ad-supported service tier are not invited to the offline viewing party, which is somewhat disappointing but not altogether unexpected. After all, Netflix's monthly rates currently start at 9 bucks, so Hulu is already doing you a big favor by offering unlimited video streaming for as little as 6 bucks a month.
Furthermore, any movie or TV show episode you begin will need to be watched in its entirety within two days or it will also "expire" and disappear from your offline library. On the bright side, expired downloads can be renewed as long as you go back online and the content is still available on Hulu.
Then again, Disney+ is right around the corner, and for the low monthly price of $6.99, the hot new VOD platform will include unlimited downloads, as well as streaming support on four devices at once, and 4K Ultra HD capabilities. Technically, that's not a direct rival to the likes of Hulu and Netflix, but still, its impressive list of features (and compelling deals) seem to be raising the expectations bar for the industry as a whole.
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