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Netflix going global, renames its US DVD rental service to Qwikster!

US-based online streaming service Netflix has announced new plans for its revamped DVD service which it has renamed Qwikster and has promised to launch on a Worldwide platform.

Netflix has in recent years risen in popularity in the US for its instant streaming service of top films and television and is now (along with TiVo) one of the things that is revolutionising how television is watched.

The update in its DVD service name is a bid to try and separate the two services into separate entities whilst expanding the Netflix streaming service to a new Global level, which is something the company has stated it has made a mistake with previously by not separating the two services.

Netflix’s Co-Founder and CEO Reed Hastings has taken to the web to make a very candid web blog, apologising for some of the past failures and confusing separation of the two services, especially when talking about pricing differences for the US services.

In the blog Hastings states: “I messed up. I owe everyone an explanation. It is clear from the feedback over the past two months that many members felt we lacked respect and humility in the way we announced the separation of DVD and streaming, and the price changes. That was certainly not our intent, and I offer my sincere apology.”

The really interesting aspect of the blog for us in the UK and Europe is the idea of Netflix going global in the coming future, as in the US the service is very powerful and has a large support.

Similar services to Netflix in the UK like Lovefilm currently have a firm and rarely contested grip on the online streaming market and whilst some services are similar to our American cousins’ (notably PS3 Streaming), the Lovefilm streaming generally has a higher cost and less content availability.

Regarding the global move, Hastings covered this in his blog by stating:

“Netflix will offer the best streaming service for TV shows and movies, hopefully on a global basis. The additional streaming content we have coming in the next few months is substantial, and we are always working to improve our service further.”

Hopefully we will see a bit of Netflix competition in the UK in the coming months and everyone will see the benefits of a bit of hearty competition.

What are your thoughts on Netflix coming to Europe? Let us know on out @Gadget_Helpline twitter feed or the comments below.