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

[ipedro]

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

While many AppleTV+ shows do sound very appealing, there’s the community factor to consider. When all your friends are talking about Stranger Things, Black Mirror and Russian Doll, those without Netflix will feel left out.

That said, with a billion plus devices and a confirmed worldwide launch, I think that AppleTV+ will get wide adoption. Apple is going to price this service to sell. They don’t need to make money on it now, just build a loyal subscriber base.

I already cancelled my Netflix account but I’ll reactivate on occasion to binge on Stranger Things and Black Mirror when they come back.

 

[fredrik9]

Netflix is great. However removing Airplay makes no sense. Not that many people are using it I guess but anyway.

 

[Bob-K]

My Sonos Play:5 has an analog input jack.

I have Sonos Ones. (Corrected my previous posts.)

 

[nathogib]

The Netflix app for iPhone and iPad no longer appears to support AirPlay, based on an updated support document found on the Netflix website.

According to Netflix, AirPlay is no longer supported on iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch due to "technical limitations." There are no details from Netflix on what those technical limitations might be.

Several MacRumors readers have attempted to use AirPlay with the Netflix app over the course of the last few days and have run into issues doing so from the Netflix app.

AirPlay can still be initiated using the Control Center on an iOS device, but when attempting to test the feature, we were unable to get Netflix content to play and received an error message.

It's not clear why AirPlay support has been removed from the Netflix app. The feature has been available since 2013 and it was working up until this week.

Netflix apps are available on the Apple TV, consoles, smart TVs, iOS devices, and more, so there's not a real need to use AirPlay to watch Netflix content, but there were instances where it was convenient to use.

Netflix has in recent months been making efforts to better protect its content. In December, Netflix stopped allowing customers to sign up for Netflix within the iOS app, and Netflix has never opted to participate in Apple's TV app, making it unavailable in the "Up Next" feature of Watch Now.

Netflix CEO Reed Hastings recently confirmed that Netflix had no plans to be a part of Apple's TV plans and said that Netflix isn't interested in offering its content in alternate ways. "We want to have people watch our shows on our services," he said.

Article Link: Netflix App for iOS No Longer Supports AirPlay Because of 'Technical Limitations'

[doublepost=1554537018][/doublepost]Does it still support chrome cast or smilier on android? this is a bit of a deal breaker as used the airplay feature in hotels

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[PickUrPoison]

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.

Extremely simple to you is almost impossible for most

An open source router firmware like did-wrt or similar can very likely do that without a PC but does require a fair amount of technical experience, for some definition of “fair”.

 

[mrow]

Because sometimes we don’t own the tv we are airplaying to, don’t want to log into it, etc. Like in an office, a hotel, etc.

This. I was just recently in a Hyatt in Amsterdam and they had some kind of Apple TV integration in each room. I didn’t see an actual box anywhere but in the TV menu there was an Apple TV option and you could connect your phone to AirPlay to it. I actually used it for Netflix while I was there.

I guess I could always work around it in these situations by using the Lightning to HDMI adapter and HDMI cable I always keep in my laptop bag but that is a pain in the ass because I’ve got to get up if I want to watch something else or stop playback, etc.

 

[FoxMcCloud]

I’ll admit it is nice to be browsing on your phone and just have the show/film you’ve decided on appear on the TV.

However, AirPlay is not as good as chromecast.

With chromecast your phone would tell the app on the tv device to fire up and hand it the url to the stream.

With airplay, you’re sending the video blind to the device. If you do anything remotely different on your phone, poof, that video is gone.

I don’t know if AirPlay2 is any different than that but I’ve not bothered looking.

I’m ...mostly.. happy using the tvOS app.

 

[bayelrey80]

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

But this isn't rocket science lol
[doublepost=1554539856][/doublepost]

Bullcrap. It’s not “technical limitations.” It’s Apple’s ongoing rivalry with Netflix ever since Netflix decided they didn’t want Apple stealing a percentage of their subscribers’ monthly payments.

Stealing? Explain ...
[doublepost=1554539943][/doublepost]

Getting tired of all the burned bridges with awesome companies/products. Nvidia, anyone? This stubborn isolationism from Apple burns us all.

Is that what's happening really? What exactly are you being isolated from?

 

[haydn!]

It’s like they’ve gone into defence mode and are creating their own walled garden. They really don’t need to, this is Netflix, pretty much the gold standard in streaming and original content these days. Done with the right partnership agreements, working with Apple TV and others could be very lucrative for them.

 

[Jmausmuc]

Who cares. In my opinion, Netflix quality has been exchanged for quantity years ago. I can barely stand to watch any of their original shows anymore.

Seems like a huge variety of medium to low quality content to me and you never know which stories actually be finished and which ones will just suddenly be discontinued.

I think what services like Netflix have done to TV shows is very bad. The quality has dipped dramatically imho.

 

[NickName99]

This will annoy tens of people. Tens!

 

[Stella]

I don’t care. I’ve never used airplay, instead I can just use the Apple TV app. No deal breaker, nothing to see here

When I have attempted to use AirPlay for video in other apps, it rarely works anyway. No - it’s not my network, that works just fine with ample speed.

 

[Kahlerfj]

When traveling, my cellular carrier doesn’t charge for streaming but does limit hotspot data. So I can bring along my Apple TV and use air play to watch Netflix from my phone instead of using my hot spot data.

 

[glowplug]

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

Watching via another person’s AppleTV, workplace conference room, dorm room, hotel TV, want to have content stored locally.

There are a half dozen valid reasons that may not apply to you, but does it matter? This is just on it’s surface a customer-unfriendly move.

 

[PickUrPoison]

It’s like they’ve gone into defence mode and are creating their own walled garden. They really don’t need to, this is Netflix, pretty much the gold standard in streaming and original content these days. Done with the right partnership agreements, working with Apple TV and others could be very lucrative for them.

They’re (rightly) scared... afraid of getting Spotify’d. Instead of being confident in their content and bold in their approach, they’re playing defense. And I think it’s a losing proposition; they should be trying to get on more platforms, not blocking access to current ones. Not being part of the TV app (digital TV guide, not as a Channel) is going to turn out to be a strategic mistake and I predict within a couple years they’ll join. They’re going to want their content to be discoverable there, since more and more Apple customers will be using that as the equivalent of their web browser home page.

Hastings said a couple weeks ago they want people to watch their shows “on their services”. What does that even mean? Netflix’s “services” aren’t their product; their exclusive, original content is their product. They currently only deliver that through their own app. I get that they want people to live in the Netflix app, but this isn’t 2010. Amazon Prime, Hulu, HBO and new services like WarnerMedia, Apple and Disney are all going to be streaming and I’m sure they want you to stay in their app too. But that’s not how this is going to play out.

Consumers are going to have maybe 2-4 streaming services. They’re going to want searchability/discoverability from among all their subscribed services. Apple’s in a great position to aggregate the access to that content. And if Netflix doesn’t at least have their listings on the TV app, Apple’s customers won’t be able to find their content as easily. If Netflix thinks that means customers will be driven to the Netflix app and will scroll around there looking for something to watch, they’re going to be in for a rude awakening. Because people will be doing that in the TV app, since they aren’t just limited to a single service there.

Sure, people will still want to watch at least a few favorite shows on Netflix, but will they spend upwards of $200/year on a permanent sub, or will they subscribe for a month when something drops and binge it, then cancel for a few months?

Netflix will soon have many more well-funded, content-rich competitors than just HBO and Amazon, and I think they know they’re in trouble. So far they’re at a loss as to the best way forward, but they better figure it out. Going out to the debt market and raising a couple billion for content isn’t a sustainable solution in the long run.

 

[Stella]

Because sometimes we don’t own the tv we are airplaying to, don’t want to log into it, etc. Like in an office, a hotel, etc.

You’d need an Apple TV to do so, no? You just can’t airplay to a TV with no other device attached to it.

Do you carry your AppleTV around with you on trips?

A lot of hotels I’ve been in , ex. Hilton , their TVs are too old for airplay enabled TV.

 

[hvfsl]

I suspect they did this because there is a way to use Airplay to record shows off Netflix.

 

[jimmirehman]

And they expect us the believe that? Lol I swear these companies don’t even try anymore.

 

[pika2000]

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.

Highly likely that’s the case. Netflix is segmenting their tiers.

 

[IGI2]

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.

You can AirPlay from your iPhone because you have a different profile, or just has it, and don't want to "save it" on yours friend Apple TV unit, or you are using VPN just on your phone to have US/UK offer instead of Polish one, there are so many reasons why AirPlay should just work.

 

[Remy149]

Could you use Bluetooth?

Sonos doesn’t have Bluetooth

 

[btrach144]

Picture in Picture is no longer working on my iPad Pro 11”? It seems like they removed support for this as well?

 

[alleggerita]

Does that mean I can’t stream the audio to my HomePod anymore? Because I always do that in my bedroom. Watch on my iPad but stream the audio to my HomePod.

 

[rikscha]

What’s the point of AirPlay if there is a Netflix tvOS app? This seems like the most difficult way to watch Netflix, and probably suffers in performance.

To vpn into international offering and watch it on your tv

 

[CatalinApple]

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

Yes, that's how I have watched Netflix for years because it's much easier to search through Netflix's library on my iPhone and AirPlay it to my  TV. On the other hand it takes me ages to type what I am looking for with the Apple Remote.