• Home
  • Latest
  • Fortune 500
  • Finance
  • Tech
  • Leadership
  • Lifestyle
  • Rankings
  • Multimedia

Trendingnow

1

Iran strikes 85 U.S. military sites in the Gulf, sparking a global selloff in stocks and a spike in the price of oil

2

Ex-PepsiCo CEO Indra Nooyi worked from midnight until 5 a.m. as a receptionist to pay for her Yale degree—and she says ‘respect went up’ because of it

3

Shark Tank's Kevin O'Leary says if he were 25 today, he'd chase these two booming opportunities in the world of AI

1

Iran strikes 85 U.S. military sites in the Gulf, sparking a global selloff in stocks and a spike in the price of oil

2

Ex-PepsiCo CEO Indra Nooyi worked from midnight until 5 a.m. as a receptionist to pay for her Yale degree—and she says ‘respect went up’ because of it

3

Shark Tank's Kevin O'Leary says if he were 25 today, he'd chase these two booming opportunities in the world of AI
TechNetflix

3 reasons why Netflix can’t win the ‘streaming wars,’ analyst says

By
Jonathan Vanian
Jonathan Vanian
Down Arrow Button Icon
By
Jonathan Vanian
Jonathan Vanian
Down Arrow Button Icon
February 7, 2022, 7:21 PM ET
Add Fortune on Google for similar content.

Netflix is no longer the online video titan it once was and, based on its current trajectory, is likely to lose the so-called streaming wars.

That’s according to a Needham & Company analyst report published on Monday that’s skeptical of the company’s chances to fend off rivals like Disney, Apple, Peacock, and Paramount. The analyst note, based on a survey of 504 U.S.-based Netflix subscribers, revealed the biggest challenges. 

In January, Netflix shares dropped nearly 20% after it reported weak guidance. The company said it expected to add 2.5 million customers in its first quarter, far short of the 5.9 million that analysts had projected. It also said that it only added 8.3 million subscribers in its most recent quarter instead of the 8.5 million it originally forecast for.

Netflix Co-CEO Reed Hastings acknowledged during an earnings call with analysts that “there’s more competition than there’s ever been.” However, he said that the streaming video market size is “very large,” and that the company’s execution is steady and getting better.”

Netflix did not immediately respond to Fortune for comment.

Here’s some of the problems that Netflix must overcome, according to the Needham analysts.

Netflix subscribers are increasingly unhappy

Netflix subscribers aren’t as enthusiastic about the service. Thirty-one percent of respondents said they were “less happy with Netflix content than 1 year ago,” the survey found, in what the Needham analysts said is a sign that many may cancel their Netflix subscriptions this year.

The authors said that consumers may be more willing to subscribe to other video services because those have more content that they haven’t already watched on Netflix during the COVID-19 pandemic. Other streaming services also offer lower-tier subscription plans that are often cheaper than Netflix, and that could be more attractive to the company’s unhappy customers.

Netflix’s pricing strategy is flawed

Netflix’s pricing model represents a “competitive disadvantage” because each of its subscription tiers includes the same library of shows, the report said. Instead, the company’s tiers are based on the number of devices that people use to access the service, and other technical features.

Several rival streaming services, however, have free and lower-tier subscription plans that offer viewers limited access to some content or require customers to watch ads in exchange for paying less. This pricing strategy has proven successful for rivals, the authors claim, citing Discovery+, which disclosed “that it’s ad-lite tier generates more revenue each month than its ad-free tier.”

Price hikes turn off subscribers 

The report said that 41% of survey respondents said they are “more likely to churn in 2022” because of Netflix’s recent decision to raise its monthly subscription prices. Netflix announced the price hikes of $1 to $2 more per month in January.

Never miss a story: Follow your favorite topics and authors to get a personalized email with the journalism that matters most to you.

About the Author
By Jonathan Vanian
LinkedIn iconTwitter icon

Jonathan Vanian is a former Fortune reporter. He covered business technology, cybersecurity, artificial intelligence, data privacy, and other topics.

See full bioRight Arrow Button Icon
Add Fortune on Google for similar content.

Latest in Tech

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025

Most Popular

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Fortune Secondary Logo
Rankings
  • 100 Best Companies
  • Fortune 500
  • Global 500
  • Fortune 500 Europe
  • Most Powerful Women
  • World's Most Admired Companies
  • See All Rankings
  • Lists Calendar
Sections
  • Finance
  • Fortune Crypto
  • Features
  • Leadership
  • Health
  • Commentary
  • Success
  • Retail
  • Mpw
  • Tech
  • Lifestyle
  • CEO Initiative
  • Asia
  • Politics
  • Conferences
  • Europe
  • Newsletters
  • Personal Finance
  • Environment
  • Magazine
  • Education
Customer Support
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Customer Service Portal
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms Of Use
  • Single Issues For Purchase
  • International Print
Commercial Services
  • Advertising
  • Fortune Brand Studio
  • Fortune Analytics
  • Fortune Conferences
  • Business Development
  • Group Subscriptions
About Us
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • Facebook icon
  • Twitter icon
  • LinkedIn icon
  • Instagram icon
  • Pinterest icon

Latest in Tech

a man having chair still by the window in the office
EconomyLabor
Labor force participation falls to 61.5%, the lowest in 50 years outside COVID, and economists say it’s not just people giving up
By Catherina GioinoJuly 8, 2026
5 hours ago
Man in collared shirt and jacket
Big TechAmazon
Amazon’s $25 billion ‘surprise’ bond sale dangled extra yield to lure in buyers—and flashed a warning sign about the AI boom
By Amanda GerutJuly 8, 2026
7 hours ago
Bezos’ Blue Origin is raising outside capital for the first time to compete for NASA contracts as rival SpaceX’s stock falters
InvestingJeff Bezos
Bezos’ Blue Origin is raising outside capital for the first time to compete for NASA contracts as rival SpaceX’s stock falters
By Mia OsmonbekovJuly 8, 2026
8 hours ago
Cathie Wood just bought the SpaceX dip again—and dumped Alibaba to do it
InvestingCathie Wood
Cathie Wood just bought the SpaceX dip again—and dumped Alibaba to do it
By Marco Quiroz-GutierrezJuly 8, 2026
8 hours ago
How Qualcomm’s CIO is placing big bets on AI to support the chip company’s diversification push
NewslettersCIO Intelligence
How Qualcomm’s CIO is placing big bets on AI to support the chip company’s diversification push
By John KellJuly 8, 2026
9 hours ago
Jonathan Bensamoun (right) sits on a stool next to his German Shepherd
InnovationPet Tech
Exclusive: Fi is bringing Starlink satellite technology to dog collars
By Lily Mae LazarusJuly 8, 2026
10 hours ago

Most Popular

Iran strikes 85 U.S. military sites in the Gulf, sparking a global selloff in stocks and a spike in the price of oil
Newsletters
Iran strikes 85 U.S. military sites in the Gulf, sparking a global selloff in stocks and a spike in the price of oil
By Jim EdwardsJuly 8, 2026
16 hours ago
Ex-PepsiCo CEO Indra Nooyi worked from midnight until 5 a.m. as a receptionist to pay for her Yale degree—and she says ‘respect went up’ because of it
Success
Ex-PepsiCo CEO Indra Nooyi worked from midnight until 5 a.m. as a receptionist to pay for her Yale degree—and she says ‘respect went up’ because of it
By Preston ForeJuly 6, 2026
2 days ago
Shark Tank's Kevin O'Leary says if he were 25 today, he'd chase these two booming opportunities in the world of AI
AI
Shark Tank's Kevin O'Leary says if he were 25 today, he'd chase these two booming opportunities in the world of AI
By Marco Quiroz-GutierrezJuly 5, 2026
4 days ago
Current price of oil as of July 8, 2026
Personal Finance
Current price of oil as of July 8, 2026
By Joseph HostetlerJuly 8, 2026
14 hours ago
Billionaires John and Laura Arnold have already donated nearly half their wealth. Now they're funding a hunt for the health risks of sports betting
Success
Billionaires John and Laura Arnold have already donated nearly half their wealth. Now they're funding a hunt for the health risks of sports betting
By Sydney LakeJuly 8, 2026
19 hours ago
$25 billion CEO says one-hour interviews are a waste of time—he puts candidates through six hours of tests and wants them to order wine at lunch
Success
$25 billion CEO says one-hour interviews are a waste of time—he puts candidates through six hours of tests and wants them to order wine at lunch
By Orianna Rosa RoyleJuly 3, 2026
6 days ago

© 2026 Fortune Media IP Limited. All Rights Reserved. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy | CA Notice at Collection and Privacy Notice | Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information
FORTUNE is a trademark of Fortune Media IP Limited, registered in the U.S. and other countries. FORTUNE may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice.