Netflix Streaming Launched
Netflix launched its streaming video service, beginning the end of DVD rentals
January 15, 2007
The Launch That Redefined Television
On January 16, 2007, Netflix launched its streaming video service, allowing subscribers to watch movies and television shows instantly over the internet. At launch, the library contained around 1,000 titles, a fraction of the DVD catalog, and the service was available only on personal computers. But the concept of watching what you wanted, when you wanted, without waiting for a disc to arrive in the mail, resonated immediately. Reed Hastings had been laying the groundwork for this transition for years, knowing that broadband internet speeds would eventually make high-quality video streaming practical for ordinary home users. The technology was finally catching up to the vision.
Expanding Across Screens and Borders
Netflix moved quickly to bring streaming to televisions, partnering with device makers to embed its app in Blu-ray players, game consoles like the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3, and smart TVs. By 2010, the app was available on most connected screens in American living rooms. The company began its international expansion in 2010, launching in Canada, followed by Latin America and then Europe. Netflix entered the original content business with House of Cards in 2013, produced entirely in-house and released all episodes at once, popularizing the concept of binge-watching. The strategy transformed Netflix from a distributor of others' content into a major Hollywood studio in its own right.
A Global Streaming Giant
Netflix's streaming growth reshaped the entire media industry. Traditional cable companies and broadcasters watched subscribers cancel their subscriptions, a trend dubbed "cord-cutting." Competitors including Disney, HBO, Amazon, and Apple launched their own streaming services in direct response. Today, Netflix operates in over 190 countries and has more than 300 million paid subscribers worldwide, making it the largest subscription streaming service on the planet. Its content spending runs into tens of billions of dollars annually. The 2007 launch that began with 1,000 titles on a computer screen created an industry that now dominates how much of the world watches entertainment. Use the countdown tool to explore dates in streaming history.