Netflix Not Developing App for Vision Pro Because Headset is 'Subscale' and 'Not Relevant' to Subscribers

[MacRumors]

When the Vision Pro launches, it will not feature some popular apps like Netflix, YouTube, or Spotify, with users instead relegated to accessing these services through the Safari web browser on the device.

In an interview with Stratechery, Netflix co-CEO Greg Peters explained earlier this week that Netflix does not plan to develop a Vision Pro app at this time because the device is "so subscale" that it is "not really particularly relevant" to most Netflix members.

Peters said that Netflix needs to be careful about how money is spent, ensuring that resources are not invested in areas that will not yield a return.

You got to a good one really quick there already. Not by any unwillingness or lack of desire to do that, but even when you note we look at as close to ubiquity on devices perspective, the decisions that lead to that are we try and be very rigorous about, "What's the effort to integrate on any given set of devices and what's the benefit for the members that we serve?". We have to be careful about making sure that we're not investing in places that are not really yielding a return, and I would say we'll see where things go with Vision Pro. Certainly we're always in discussions with Apple to try and figure that out but right now, the device is so subscale that it's not really particularly relevant to most of our members.

Peters implied that Netflix is not ruling out a future Vision Pro app. "We've always had active discussions to how we could help each other out," he said about Apple. "Sometimes we find a great space of overlap. We can move very, very quickly. Sometimes it takes a little longer."

The Vision Pro is priced at $3,500, which puts it out of range of many of Apple's customers, and Apple is manufacturing a limited number of the devices in 2024, according to rumors. Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo recently said that Apple sold between 160,000 to 180,000 units when pre-orders launched, and that the company will only ship around 500,000 units for the year.

Despite early demand, Kuo said that the Vision Pro is "still a very niche product," a view that appears to be shared by some notable companies not creating apps for the device.

The Vision Pro is able to run iPad apps with little to no effort from developers, but Netflix has opted not to allow the Netflix iPad app to be available on the headset. Peters did not explain why. Instead, Netflix subscribers will need to watch Netflix through the Vision Pro web browser.

Article Link: Netflix Not Developing App for Vision Pro Because Headset is 'Subscale' and 'Not Relevant' to Subscribers

 

[Think|Different]

Pathetic. And to act like they haven't developed even more obscure versions of their app for random platforms? This is one time they could have taken a page out of Apple’s book and just said ‘we don’t comment or speculate on future products or services.”

 

[truthsteve]

lol and I'm sure Nvidia shield was super relevant.

We have to be careful about making sure that we're not investing in places that are not really yielding a return

how did that Facebook portal app turn out?

 

[ghostface147]

Agreed. Vision Pro isn’t there yet.

 

[Mrkevinfinnerty]

This is what happens when you treat developers with distain.

Netflix doesn't need to bother this white elephant.

 

[aidler]

Well, at the moment, I’d say that is point on.

 

[klasma]

lol and I'm sure Nvidia shield and Facebook portal were super relevant.

Money was much cheaper a couple years ago. Big tech has been trimming fat and cutting costs a lot the last couple of months.

 

[segfaultdotorg]

Subscale? I've also heard it's mid.

 

[Scipster]

Because it takes so much time and effort to click the flag to allow your iPad app to run on visionOS.

 

[Mrkevinfinnerty]

Because it takes so much time and effort to click the flag to allow your iPad app to run on visionOS.

really not that simple

 

[robertmorris2]

When the Vision Pro launches, it will not feature some popular apps like Netflix, YouTube, or Spotify, with users instead relegated to accessing these services through the Safari web browser on the device.

In an interview with Stratechery, Netflix co-CEO Greg Peters explained earlier this week that Netflix does not plan to develop a Vision Pro app at this time because the device is "so subscale" that it is "not really particularly relevant" to most Netflix members.

Peters said that Netflix needs to be careful about how money is spent, ensuring that resources are not invested in areas that will not yield a return.

Peters implied that Netflix is not ruling out a future Vision Pro app. "We've always had active discussions to how we could help each other out," he said about Apple. "Sometimes we find a great space of overlap. We can move very, very quickly. Sometimes it takes a little longer."

The Vision Pro is priced at $3,500, which puts it out of range of many of Apple's customers, and Apple is manufacturing a limited number of the devices in 2024, according to rumors. Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo recently said that Apple sold between 160,000 to 180,000 units when pre-orders launched, and that the company will only ship around 500,000 units for the year.

Despite early demand, Kuo said that the Vision Pro is "still a very niche product," a view that appears to be shared by some notable companies not creating apps for the device.

The Vision Pro is able to run iPad apps with little to no effort from developers, but Netflix has opted not to allow the Netflix iPad app to be available on the headset. Peters did not explain why. Instead, Netflix subscribers will need to watch Netflix through the Vision Pro web browser.

Article Link: Netflix Not Developing App for Vision Pro Because Headset is 'Subscale' and 'Not Relevant' to Subscribers

they'll come around...they always do

 

[Grimps]

Has anyone used the Netflix app for Quest? Last I used it, it was trash. I was hoping to look at a drive-in-sized screen. Instead they show you a large tv-sized screen and just bring it 3 feet from your face.

 

[macvicta]

Why doesn’t Apple just buy Netflix?

 

[aidler]

Because it takes so much time and effort to click the flag to allow your iPad app to run on visionOS.

A poor user experience in apps that are not tailored to Vision Pro is exactly what would ultimately lead to Vision Pro's failure.

 

[Macaholic868]

This is what happens when you treat developers with distain.

Netflix doesn't need to bother this white elephant.

Subscribers needn’t bother with Netflix. They keep jacking up their prices, eliminating good licensed content and using the money on their own original content that hasn’t been all that great the last several years. I only keep my account because my retired mom who is on a fixed income uses it on her iPad from Time to time. I can’t remember the last time my wife or I used it on any of our iPhones, iPads, web browsers or on our Apple TVs. It’s going bye bye as soon as my mom is done with Better Call Saul’s final season.

If / when they release a second season of Sandman I’ll pick it back up for a month to binge it but honestly, HBO Go and Netflix used to be the two streaming services I used the most and I rarely use either Max or Netflix much anymore. Netflix is not worth the cost even with part if that cost subsidized by T Mobile. Disney+, Hulu, Amazon Prime and Paramount+ are all the services I use the most and I’d be dropping Hulu if not for T Mobile offering several month free this last week as a perk as well…

 

[Sheepish-Lord]

Because it takes so much time and effort to click the flag to allow your iPad app to run on visionOS.

To be fair, people would complain it’s just a trash port job instead of a native app.

 

[Jethr_o]

Miao ...

 

[Polinsky]

I think it's time to drop Netflix. Their prices for 4K are out of control. Just subscribed to Paramount Plus. Lot's of 4K content and a native AVP app. Netflix can go ****w themselves.

 

[icanhazmac]

Geez, Netflix is sure butthurt! Petty at best.

 

[antiprotest]

Money was much cheaper a couple years ago. Big tech has been trimming fat and cutting costs a lot the last couple of months.

Also, maybe doing all that didn't pay off and they wouldn't have done it either in hindsight.

Why invest in helping a fledgling platform? They can always make an app if the platform becomes popular.

At this point, there is very little danger of them being shoved aside because a competing streaming service makes an app for an obscure platform first.

 

[klasma]

Because it takes so much time and effort to click the flag to allow your iPad app to run on visionOS.

Maintenance costs. User complaints if something doesn’t work under visionOS. Not worth the hassle. Browser version exists.

And you don’t have to click the checkbox, it is enabled by default. They actually did take the time to click it to disable it.

 

[aidler]

Many people bought AVP for a lot of money under the impression it would be a production-ready device, but that is not the case. They expect every company to offer a tailor-made App for AVP, which, in many cases, makes no economic sense.
That's precisely what I feared.

 

[klasma]

Why doesn’t Apple just buy Netflix?

It would cost them towards $300 billion, which is almost double the cash Apple has on hand, and also almost double Apple’s yearly gross income. And what would they do with it?

 

[windowsblowsass]

Why doesn’t Apple just buy Netflix?

Any time a 3T dollar company buys a 300b dollar company there’s tons of regulatory issues. The other issue is that does Apple really want to spend 350b to buy Netflix instead of just building appletv+ at what point do they actually get a return on that much Capex? Likely never.

 

[jcbeckman]

really not that simple

Actually, it's *simpler*. All they had to do was - NOTHING. They had to go out of their way and click the box to DENY the app for Vision Pro. The default for all iPad apps is to be available.