It looks like Netflix is cracking down on people who 'share' Netflix accounts by limiting the amount of movies that can be streamed at the same time by one account. Many people are reporting that Netflix hasn't allowed concurrent streams since their price hike. Updated.
Unofficially, there has always been a limit on how many streams you could watch at once but, um, it wasn't really enforced. I could watch something, my friend could watch something, another friend could watch, we could all watch different things at the same time! Looks like those wild ways have changed:
Some membership plans allow you to watch simultaneously on more than one personal computer or Netflix ready device at the same time. If you are on the 1 disc out at-a-time plan [or stream-only plan], you may watch only one device at a time. If you are on the 2 discs out at-a-time plan, you may watch on up to two devices at the same time. Members on the 3 disc plan can watch on up to three devices. The maximum is four devices simultaneously, and that is available for members on the 4 or greater discs out at-a-time plans.
I guess Netflix is making all their big swooping changes (price, limits) this month. Which is totally fine, it's wrong to 'steal' like that but Netflix just gave me another reason to cancel my plan. [Stop the Cap via Cult of Mac]
Update:Well then! It looks like Netflix VP of Corporate Communications Steve Swasey told GigaOm that Netflix is not, in fact, cracking down on simultaneous streams. It was really a glitch that a number of users were getting, and Netflix is working to fix the problem. So... carry on streaming. [GigaOm]