Stan opens up offline viewing for mobile users
The "vast majority" of Stan’s program catalogue can now be viewed offline.
Entertainment streaming services can deliver all sorts of content, but up until recently, in order to enjoy these services, you needed to have a persistent online connection. Netflix upped the ante by offering offline download functionality for a subset of its titles last December. We’ve tested offline Netflix extensively, including whether it works for in-flight viewing. When Amazon Prime Video launched, it did so with offline viewing included (and again, we’ve tested that for in-flight use as well). Even Foxtel has jumped into the offline arena, albeit only for kids content.
That left home-grown streaming service Stan all by itself, not offering an offline viewing function, although it had stated that it would do so "in March".
We’re nearly out of days in March, but Stan has finally launched its offline viewing service for what it calls the "vast majority" of its library. As with Netflix, it’s available for smartphones and tablets only, so you can't download to a laptop or smart TV for later watching. The focus here is on mobile viewing first and foremost.
Stan offers two options for download quality, which it calls "Quick & Dirty" for smaller downloads or "Standard" for slightly better quality and larger file sizes. There’s no indication within the app as to what resolutions these equate to, although you can confidently bet that full HD probably isn’t on the cards.
In terms of device compatibility, you’ll need an iOS device (iPhone, iPad or iPod Touch) capable of running iOS 9.3 or better, or an Android device running 4.3 or better to access offline Stan downloads.
The shift to providing offline viewing comes in the same week that Qantas has announced Stan as a partner for its domestic in-flight streaming service.
If you're keen on a particular show, you can browse our complete guide to all the movies and TV shows on Stan on our Stan Movies and Stan TV show pages, including their availability for offline viewing.
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