The impending ad-supported Netflix tier might not be the ideal streaming choice for people who frequently watch on the go, such as commuters. The iPhone app for the service contains wording that reads, “Downloads available on all plans except Netflix with advertisements,” which was found by developer Steve Moser. Viewers won’t be able to watch their shows or movies when offline if they are unable to download content from the tier to their devices. Netflix informed TechCrunch the lack of offline viewing with the service was neither confirmed nor denied, but it did say:

Ted Sarandos, the co-CEO and CCO of Netflix, acknowledged in a July earnings call that the impending subscription option won’t initially feature all of the service’s licenced content. To be able to sell studios’ television programmes and films alongside advertisements, the business must still renegotiate agreements with them. In a similar vein, the absence of offline viewing could have a valid explanation aside from Netflix aiming to force customers of the tier to pay more for paid subscription.

The technical requirements for serving advertising with offline material may be difficult. In actuality, Netflix won’t be the only streaming service that offers an ad-supported version without offline viewing. For example, neither HBO Max’s nor Hulu’s offer a download option. The situation might still alter by the time the tier debuts early next year, based on Netflix’s comments.