Netflix says its profits have soared in the first three months of this year, partly thanks to a crackdown on password sharing. The streaming giant said it added 9.3 million customers in the first quarter, bringing its total number of subscribers to almost 270 million. The company also said its profits in the first quarter jumped to more than $2.3bn (£1.85bn). But the firm will stop reporting key subscriber numbers from next year. It added that today, subscriber numbers have become "just one component of our growth", asking investors to focus on its profits and revenue. Its revenue for the first quarter rose by nearly 15% year-on-year to $9.37bn. The firm also credited a "drumbeat" of hits, such as crime drama Griselda. Some investors saw its unexpected decision to stop reporting subscriber numbers as a sign that Netflix's wave of customer growth may be coming to an end. The former Netflix man said the company wanted to "people to move away from fixating on the subscriber numbers". The firm is also pushing into areas such as sports and video games, while continuing to license material from rival media firms looking for ways to boost profits.
