[Software] The next big Netflix release could be a new software platform

[Hossam Taibi]

Netflix could be gearing up to launch into the software market following an interesting teaser from the company.

The online streaming giant has revealed it is launching NetFX, a cloud-based platform that will allow make it easier for vendors, artists and creators to connect and collaborate on visual effects (VFX) for Netflix titles.

The "cutting-edge platform" will look to connect artists around the world, offering access to infrastructure to meet the growing demand for VFX services as Netflix looks to grow its collection of original content.

Stay connected with the best Netflix VPN
Best online collaboration software: paid and free tools for work sharing and communication
These are the best cloud storage services: Online free, business and paid providers
Netflix update
"Visual effects are in almost all of our features and series, ranging from the creation of complex creatures and environments to the removal of objects and backgrounds," Netflix wrote in a blog post announcing the launch.

NetFX will allow studios to benefit from virtual workstations and integrated storage, key considerations for artists working in the incredibly data-hungry industries such as VFX.

With companies around the world also enforcing remote working polices, NetFX can also provide a virtual environment to lessen any risks, with vendors also able to contribute artist resources to optimize capacity and individuals can participate on-demand.

Lastly, Netflix says NetFX will also provide full access to secure rendering in a connected environment, allowing studios to scale and creatively iterate on our VFX work as never before. 

A beta version of NetFX is currently in use in Canada, with Netflix partners Frontier VFX and Galavant VFX already using the platform, with the company saying it hopes to expand to Mumbai by early 2021, and other markets soon after.

Netflix currently boasts more than 100 million members in more than 190 countries, enjoying 125 million hours of TV shows and movies each day.

The company is already a significant infrastructure partner with Amazon Web Services (AWS), with the latter's website noting that, "Netflix uses AWS for nearly all its computing and storage needs, including databases, analytics, recommendation engines, video transcoding, and more—hundreds of functions that in total use more than 100,000 server instances on AWS."