Netflix App for iOS No Longer Supports AirPlay Because of 'Technical Limitations' [Updated With Netflix Statement]

[jasonefmonk]

There's probably 10 different ways one might watch Netflix, and AirPlaying is far away from what I'd probably go for. Streaming down my ethernet connection directly to the app on my console, tv app, apple tv, laptop, etc would be far more advantageous than AirPlay.

I'm really not understanding the panic and anger in this thread.

When you AirPlay to an Apple TV, whenever possible, the content is streamed via internet to Apple TV hardware directly. For years the passing of the URL has been the default, that is where your misunderstanding comes from.

AirPlay is just a very convenient feature. It allows you to “handoff” your video if you start it on your device and then want to throw it on a screen, it also allows you to avoid using Netflix’s aggravating tvOS interface which shouts at you at every opportunity. Also as other have said, if you are using a shared screen you don’t want to enter your Netflix credentials (or connect to wifi, update or install software) just to share a video. With the announcements at CES 2019 we will be in proximity to increasingly more AirPlay devices that are not our own.

Netflix has become increasing hostile to native features on Apple operating systems. There are bigger competitive business things going on, but as a user of these products it just means that Netflix continually becomes a lower-tier experience. YouTube has similar problems.

 

[rjp1]

This is all about preventing you from watching content not available in your country on a TV set, it might be possible to set up a VPN on an Apple TV but I bet it isn't easy.

It’s actually extremely simple. There are open source router/firewalls that you can download for free and run on an old PC that will allow you to tunnel all your internet access through a VPN. You can also configure it for certain sites to bypass the VPN. A lot of people already do this to get around geoblocking.

 

[2010mini]

It's like they want me to cancel my subscription.

They know you won’t. Netflix is like that smoking hot chick that’s into you, but she is totally ******* crazy at the same time.

 

[TVreporter]

They know you won’t. Netflix is like that smoking hot chick that’s into you, but she is totally ******* crazy at the same time.

Kind of like Apple - that same hot chick also costs you a fortune

 

[JosephAW]

Air Play stopped working a long time ago for me after version 4.91 of Netflix. My Apple TV doesn't have internet access, just intranet. Previously on 4.91 it would mirror whatever is on my iPhone. After that version it would get an error because the Apple TV was trying to access the internet to play the video.
Since then I have to use an hdmi cable to play Netflix on my tv.

 

[heov]

I just did that. I hope they will pull their heads out from the sand before it's too late. First they cancel all the Marvel Originals, now this? For me it's too much!

Really? You were airplaying from your phone to an Apple TV, instead of using the Netflix App?!

 

[fairuz]

Could be DRM.
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Why would anyone use Airplay to watch Netflix? Not being snarky. Honestly curious. Seems weird.

Easier than using the Apple TV app or similar. Also, you might be at a friend's house, and that friend doesn't have Netflix.
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It's like they want me to cancel my subscription.

Then do it? I don't have a subscription.
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Really? You were airplaying from your phone to an Apple TV, instead of using the Netflix App?!

That's what I've always done in the past. Why would I want to search movies by typing one letter every 5 seconds? And no, I can't use the keyboard in the Remote app cause it never works right, but even if it did, the interface is still worse for other reasons. Way easier to scroll around and browse with touch than with D-pad input.

 

[haruhiko]

Simple. Apple shouldn't allow apps to disable AirPlay. If they allow that, Netflix or whatever video playing app can do that. Just like Steve used to not allow apps with crazy in-app purchases, and they did a 180' after seeing the massive revenue for the 30% cut.

 

[fairuz]

Technical limitations is a lame excuse? Someone should let NASA know so they can’t get that mars mission going this week.

Netflix AirPlay worked before, and now it doesn't. That's why it's a lame excuse. Even if it really was a technical issue, no matter what it is, we don't care.

 

[ke-iron]

Apple TV+ better be good, I really want to cancel this service

 

[Ghost31]

I don’t understand the technical limitations of this considering it was already a feature on there. Can someone with more brains explain?

 

[Bob-K]

Why would anyone use Airplay to watch Netflix? Not being snarky. Honestly curious. Seems weird.

Sometimes I like to watch video on my iPad while cooking or doing the dishes. I have a pair of Sonos One speakers with Airplay 2 in my kitchen.

 

[izac90]

Such a weirdo Netflix doesn’t play well with others. Even Apple have put airplay on more devices and then u restricted it.

 

[lolkthxbai]

Technical limitations is a lame excuse? Someone should let NASA know so they can’t get that mars mission going this week.

I can’t believe I’m saying this but getting AirPlay to work isn’t rocket science...

 

[TomaxXamot]

Sometimes I like to watch video on my iPad while cooking or doing the dishes. I have a pair of Sonos speakers with Airplay 2 in my kitchen.

Could you use Bluetooth?

 

[supertomtom]

I have a feeling this is less to do with Apple TV but smart TV’s (like LG, Visio, Samsung, Sony) now incorporating Airplay 2. They need a reason for companies to keep Netflix app prominent on smart TV’s. Airplay 2 on these new TV’s could jeopardise that. Just my guess.

 

[Plutonius]

Netflix has serious software issues. No wonder they lamed out on AirPlay, they are barely holding the core functionality together.

As others have mentioned, Netflix is working on a mobile only tier.

Airplay was probably disabled to prevent users who pay for the mobile only tier from displaying it on their TVs (i.e. a business decision).
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I don’t understand the technical limitations of this considering it was already a feature on there. Can someone with more brains explain?

It was most likely a business decision and not a technical one.
[doublepost=1554528753][/doublepost]

They know you won’t. Netflix is like that smoking hot chick that’s into you, but she is totally ******* crazy at the same time.

You would be surprised.

I quit Netflix awhile back and have not missed it since.

 

[Sidhoah9]

Why would anyone use Airplay to watch Netflix? Not being snarky. Honestly curious. Seems weird.

I don’t have a TV but I do have a big monitor and a pair of Homepods. In that case it’s useful as I could plug HDMI in to the monitor from my iPhone/iPad and Airplay audio to the Homepods for a better film experience than just an iPad.
But now I guess I don’t have that option and have to re-evaluate my Netflix usage.

 

[Awsaim]

Netflix has just released a "mobile only" tier in some countries for a discounted price. I think this is one of the preventative measures for it.

This is most definitely why it “stopped working”.

 

[ipedro]

Netflix has it out for apple. It's irritating.

And if they keep this up, they’ll lose Apple customers, the very demographic most likely to pay for content and apps.

Not sure why one would need this anyway.. if you have an apple tv to airplay to, you might as well use the netflix app on it.
If you have a tv with integrated airplay, it is new and definitely has netflix on it.

It’s only a matter of time before Netflix removes their app from Apple TV... for technical reasons, of course.

 

[wigby]

Why would anyone use Airplay to watch Netflix? Not being snarky. Honestly curious. Seems weird.

I’m traveling in Italy right now and just downloaded every episode of Star Trek Discovery to my iPad because Netflix offers CBS All Access shows here in Italy but not in the U.S.. I planned on air playing it when I get back to states but looks like that might not happen. It’s a niche example of airplay usefulness but I’m sure there’s a thousand other similar use cases out there too.
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Technical limitations is a lame excuse? Someone should let NASA know so they can’t get that mars mission going this week.

What if NASA has already landed on Mars 1000 times before but now they are having a dispute with the ISS over some passengers being allowed to travel directly to Mars instead of first stopping and registering at the ISS? That sounds more lame than technical to me and so does Netflix’s excuse.

 

[ipedro]

You know what grinds my gears isn’t that AirPlay won’t work (I rarely use it for Netflix), it’s that Netflix is clearly lying.

We know they see Apple as a competitor and want to keep their users in their app for as long as possible which is why they won’t put their shows in the TV app.

It’s a political move. That’s fine, we get it. But don’t treat us as if we’re stupid and don’t know what you’re doing.

 

[anek007]

Netflix has just released a "mobile only" tier in some countries for a discounted price. I think this is one of the preventative measures for it.

This is what I’m guessing. With the price hike that people will get in the next couple of days. Netflix act like they’re going broke by finding ways to get more money.

 

[Bob-K]

Could you use Bluetooth?

No. Sonos One speakers are WiFi only. (They also lack physical inputs.)

 

[mikethemartian]

No. Sonos speakers are WiFi only. (They also lack physical inputs.)

My Sonos Play:5 has an analog input jack.