SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Netflix is on the verge of surpassing 100 million subscribers, a testament to how much the video streaming service has changed the entertainment landscape since its debut a decade ago.
The milestone will be reached this weekend if Netflix’s projections are correct. Netflix made the prediction Monday with the release of its first-quarter earnings.
The video service added nearly 5 million subscribers during the first three months of the year to end March with 98.7 million customers in roughly 190 countries.
Netflix still has a ways to go to catch up with HBO, the popular pay-TV channel that has served as its role model. HBO has 134 million subscribers worldwide, including viewers who now get the channel on an internet-only service that was inspired by Netflix’s success.
