Hulu will allow users to download series, movies

Hulu is following in Netflix’s footsteps and will allow users to download series and movies to their devices in the next few months.

CEO Mike Hopkins told AdWeek that giving subscribers the ability to download content for offline viewing was something the company was heavily invested in and currently working on. Like Netflix, the new feature will let users download certain programs onto their mobile devices, but will only be viewable through the service’s mobile app.

“It's something that we're going be doing in a few months,” Hopkins said. “We're working hard on the technology around that and getting the rights squared away.”

Hopkins didn’t say which studios and networks had already agreed to the new feature, but looking at the troubles Netflix had, it’s easy to make a few safe assumptions. For example, none of Disney’s titles were available to download on Netflix, including Pixar, Marvel and Lucasfilm titles. In November, a Netflix representative told Polygon “Netflix is working with lots of partners globally to get downloading rights for the bulk of the content on our service.” The rep added that the company was aware of how many subscribers wanted access to Disney titles and was trying to work out a deal with the studio.

Hulu also has access to some older Disney titles, including a few animated classics, but there’s a good chance these won’t be available to download. With the update expected to roll out in the coming months, Hulu should be releasing more information about what will be included and what won’t relatively soon.

Hulu is currently getting ready to launch its live streaming service, which will cost less than $40 a month, making it cheaper than its competitor, AT&T’s DirecTV Now. The bundle will include access to Hulu’s standard streaming service, which runs for $7.99 a month.