Netflix to Offer Streaming-Only Subscriptions

For those who scoff at the thought of physical media, Netflix has plans for a subscription only to its online collection of movies for streaming.

With the success of Netflix’s streaming movie service that allows deluxe subscribers to download movies on the fly rather than waiting for them in the mail, it was only a matter of time until the actual discs became optional. And they will. According to Reuters, Netflix has a streaming-only subscription on the way.

Netflix chief financial officer Barry McCarthy hinted at the upcoming plans at the Jefferies 5th annual Internet and Media conference in New York. “We’re likely to do that in the foreseeable future,” he said, referring to a subscription that would allow users to access only the online movie collection.

Currently, all of Netflix’s unlimited plans, which begin at $9 a month, offer unlimited online viewing, while the cheapest $5-per-month plan offers two hours of viewing every month. Supported devices include a handful of Blu-ray players (with more on the way), some TiVo players, Roku’s digital video player, and the Xbox 360.

The company hasn’t yet formally announced when it will launch the plan, or what the monthly rate will be.