Netflix Won't Offer Apple Vision Pro App at Launch

[MacRumors]

Netflix has no plans to release an app for Apple's upcoming Vision Pro headset, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. Instead, the streaming service will be accessible through Safari and other web browsers on the headset.

"Our members will be able to enjoy Netflix on the web browser on the Vision Pro, similar to how our members can enjoy Netflix on Macs," a Netflix spokesperson told Gurman.

In a July 2023 edition of his Power On newsletter, Gurman said Netflix would "still let its iPad app run on the headset unmodified," but he now says the streaming service will not offer an app of any kind on the Vision Pro at launch. Apple makes it easy for developers to port their iPadOS apps to visionOS, with over one million apps to be available on the Vision Pro's App Store at launch, but Netflix has evidently opted out.

Apple recently announced various video and sports apps that will be available on the Vision Pro at launch, including Disney+, Discovery+, Max, Amazon Prime Video, Paramount+, Peacock, ESPN, MLB, NBA, and more. There is also MLS Season Pass in the Apple TV app.

Vision Pro pre-orders begin Friday in the U.S., and the headset launches February 2.

Article Link: Netflix Won't Offer Apple Vision Pro App at Launch

 

[grantishere]

Not surprised. They have been known to not work with Apple. Spatial Audio isn't available on Netflix and Netflix movies and shows do not show up in the Apple TV app.

 

[coffeemilktea]

So I won't be able to watch the next season of Stranger Things while hanging out in some "spatial computing" version of The Upside Down? A true tragedy. 😔

 

[HobeSoundDarryl]

Hmmmmm... well since every Netflix price hike (or no sharing subscriptions, etc) article quickly fills with 400-500+ passionate posts about dropping them immediately, is this basically a tree falling in the forest non-event?

 

[AppleTO]

I wouldn’t be surprised if apps have to specifically “opt-out”, similar to on Apple Silicon Macs.

 

[orbital~debris]

Is there a documented explanation anywhere of the reasoning behind Netflix’s staunch reluctance to fully participate with Apple products?

Thinking this seems to be an extension of Netflix’s attitude toward full integration with tvOS 😕

 

[chabig]

They're waiting until they can figure out how to charge extra for it.

 

[risenphoenixkai]

Cool. Unrelated question, is VLC making an app for the Vision Pro?

 

[EmotionalSnow]

Netflix sucks. Expensive, with prices increasing every year, but won’t even give us the iPad app for the Vision Pro.

 

[munpip214]

Cool. Unrelated question, is VLC making an app for the Vision Pro?

Not sure, but Infuse’s iPad app will work at launch and they will be working on a native visionOS version later this year. You can play basically anything you throw at it and it supports spacial audio

 

[xander49x]

another reason why I quit using Netflix,horrible service, and horrible CEO.

 

[Spock]

Is Netflix still around?

 

[n-evo]

Spatial Audio isn't available on Netflix

Spatial audio and head tracking works with Netflix in combination with my iPhone and AirPods Pro. I think my Apple TV too.

 

[dontwalkhand]

I wish my wife would let me get rid of Netflix. It is the one thing that doesn't work with anything else we have, for example, the Apple TV app.

 

[jwdsail]

Netflix has no plans to release an app for Apple's upcoming Vision Pro headset, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. Instead, the streaming service will be accessible through Safari and other web browsers on the headset.

"Our members will be able to enjoy Netflix on the web browser on the Vision Pro, similar to how our members can enjoy Netflix on Macs," a Netflix spokesperson told Gurman.

In a July 2023 edition of his Power On newsletter, Gurman said Netflix would "still let its iPad app run on the headset unmodified," but he now says the streaming service will not offer an app of any kind on the Vision Pro at launch. Apple makes it easy for developers to port their iPadOS apps to visionOS, with over one million apps to be available on the Vision Pro's App Store at launch, but Netflix has evidently opted out.

Apple recently announced various video and sports apps that will be available on the Vision Pro at launch, including Disney+, Discovery+, Max, Amazon Prime Video, Paramount+, Peacock, ESPN, MLB, and more. There is also MLS Season Pass in the Apple TV app.

Vision Pro pre-orders begin Friday in the U.S., and the headset launches February 2.

Article Link: Netflix Won't Offer Apple Vision Pro App at Launch

Canceled them a while back after doing all the chores to keep my travel AppleTV connected failed on a trip. A service requiring chores to work as advertised was bad enough, but to not work right after all that... and failing to connect after multiple attempts.. Watched old Doctor Who and MST3K on PlutoTV that trip instead. Canceled the account before I went to bed that night.

But - I have customers who may actually decide to pick this thing up.. I thought iPhone/iPad apps would run on the AVP? Is Netflix saying that they aren't going to allow their *existing* apps to work on the AVP?

That's.. just.. bull-butter.

They literally have to *choose* to opt-out of letting their existing apps work, right?

Is it just that Netflix doesn't want any Apple-using viewers anymore?

I don't get it.

 

[GoosePoops]

I canceled Netflix after the recent price changes finally landed on my T-Mobile bill. Not having an app for it on my Vision Pro will just make me less likely to sign up again in the future.

 

[JordanCautious]

I mean, realistically, it doesn’t really matter if you view it through safari considering Netflix doesn’t even have any 3D titles unlike Apple/Disney. That’s the only way to really get the best experience from the headset aside from high resolution

 

[alexandr]

Spatial audio and head tracking works with Netflix in combination with my iPhone and AirPods Pro. I think my Apple TV too.

Yes, it totally does.

 

[swarmster]

Netflix seems pretty lackluster when it comes to their streaming apps, so this isn’t surprising. Not sure you’d want to run their iPad app as it only supports 1080p. Meanwhile their existing VR app (on Meta Quest) only supports 480p (!) and hasn’t really been updated since 2015 - when it was written by John Carmack, not Netflix.

 

[ersan191]

Hmmmmm... well since every Netflix price hike (or no sharing subscriptions, etc) article quickly fills with 400-500+ passionate posts about dropping them immediately, is this basically a tree falling in the forest non-event?

I don't think very many people intend to watch movies on this $3500 headset with 2 hours of battery life.

 

[Exile714]

I canceled Netflix after the recent price changes finally landed on my T-Mobile bill. Not having an app for it on my Vision Pro will just make me less likely to sign up again in the future.

Same. I think their subscriber numbers were heavily boosted by T-Mo subsidies. I usually churn my streaming services but I kept Netflix around because I was getting it for cheap. Now that it’s more expensive than others even WITH the subsidy, I’m out.

And now my current crop of streaming all works with the AppleTV app and universal search so, yay for that. I never understood why Netflix chose to keep their content gated in a way that made me less likely to choose it.

 

[ipedro]

This kind of user hostile behavioir is why I cancelled Netflix.

I use the TV app on Apple TV, iPhone, iPad and Mac to organize my watch list for virtually every streaming service and none of Netflix's shows appear there so I ended up rarely watching Netflix – so I cancelled.

Netflix is to the TV app what GM is to CarPlay. Both are shooting themselves in the foot in sabotaging the most valuable buyer demographic.

 

[sphark]

I don't think very many people intend to watch movies on this $3500 headset with 2 hours of battery life.

You can also plug it in... It's not a big deal.

 

[ckurt25]

I think spatial audio only comes with the Premium Plan on Netflix.

 

[HobeSoundDarryl]

I mean, realistically, it doesn’t really matter if you view it through safari considering Netflix doesn’t even have any 3D titles unlike Apple/Disney. That’s the only way to really get the best experience from the headset aside from high resolution

There is that OTHER- perhaps still secret (shhhhhh, don't tell anyone)- benefit of summoning a gigantic screen anywhere you happen to be and watching any 2D movie or show on it that you can stream or have synced to your other Apple devices (via Airplay).

For example, instead of watching a big movie on a phone or iPad or laptop screen in the cramped quarters of row 11 on the plane, you could wash away the plane and the passengers heads & seats right in front of you (row 10) and watch the movie on a giant screen. To me, this seems more desirable than holding up a puny iPhone, my puny iPad Mini or even a 16" MB screen instead, which I see LOTS of people doing on many flights in the last few years. But maybe that's just me.

Apparently, even the poor souls jammed into the crampiest of cramped quarters on Spirit could summon a 100" screen for a movie or show, to try to improve upon that spectacular flying experience.