Netflix says use Safari on Apple Vision Pro, because you aren't getting an app

AppleInsider

Apple Vision Pro users will have to access Netflix via Safari as the company has no plans to develop an app or offer the iPad app on the platform.


Netflix can only be accessed via a web browser on Apple Vision Pro

Despite its competitors embracing Apple Vision Pro and other headsets, Netflix is content in taking the wait-and-see approach before committing to the platform.

According to a report from Bloomberg, Netflix has no plans to offer a native visionOS app nor will it allow its iPad app to work on the platform. According to a statement from the company, users can "enjoy Netflix on the web browser on the Vision Pro, similar to how our members can enjoy Netflix on Macs."

A reason isn't provided as to why Netflix won't develop for the emerging platform, but it is likely resource distribution. Rather than devote any of its development team to ensuring compatibility with the platform and deliver a good user experience, it chooses to have no experience whatsoever.

Alternatively, Netflix competitors like Disney+ and Apple TV+ are embracing the platform fully. Disney CEO Bob Iger called Apple Vision Pro a "revolutionary platform" that helps the company achieve its goal to "create truly remarkable experiences."

Netflix is happy continually increasing its prices, withholding functionality from Apple users, and offering the bare minimum in effort on new platforms. It isn't clear if the lack of a Netflix app will affect customers' purchasing decisions.

Apple Vision Pro is available for pre-order on January 19 starting at $3,499. It ships to customers on February 2.



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mikethemartian

It would be funny if Apple TV+ didn’t support the platform.

kkqd1337

Early adopters won’t mind either way.

eightzero

I can't remember if Netflix offered an app for the iPhone when it came out.

9secondkox2

eightzero said:

I can't remember if Netflix offered an app for the iPhone when it came out.

iPhone didn’t have an App Store when it came out. 

9secondkox2

Netflix not jumping in both feet first on a hyped new platform means they’ve taken a gander and weren’t impressed. 

Kind of like everyone else not selling apps for it. 

The effort and engineering power going into the VP is astounding. Unfortunately, it’s just fundamentally flawed as a concept. 

Calvinator

Maybe Netflix is owned by General Motors 

mjtomlin

9secondkox2 said:

Netflix not jumping in both feet first on a hyped new platform means they’ve taken a gander and weren’t impressed. 

Kind of like everyone else not selling apps for it. 

The effort and engineering power going into the VP is astounding. Unfortunately, it’s just fundamentally flawed as a concept. 

Yeah, that’s not what that means. Netflix has a history of being hostile towards Apple’s platforms.

M68000

mjtomlin said:

9secondkox2 said:

Netflix not jumping in both feet first on a hyped new platform means they’ve taken a gander and weren’t impressed. 

Kind of like everyone else not selling apps for it. 

The effort and engineering power going into the VP is astounding. Unfortunately, it’s just fundamentally flawed as a concept. 

Yeah, that’s not what that means. Netflix has a history of being hostile towards Apple’s platforms.

Actually,  I believe it’s because there is an unknown market for this kind of device, whether it costs $500 or $3500.  If the volume is not there, then the development is not there.

There is one thing for sure, it will be interesting to see what happens with the device.  Some people on these forums are so excited that they think monitors and big screen TV’s are now obsolete and pointless LOL.  I do not share the excitement for these goggles. Instead, wondering if it will create a vertigo effect for some people.  I just don’t see myself wanting to sit or stand around with goggles.  Sorry,
not feeling it..

tht

Heh, Netflix is being a Gatekeeper here, and should be subject to antitrust. /sarcasm

Anyways, the Vision Pro can run Netflix’s iOS and iPadOS apps, unchanged or at minimum with a recompile with the VP target checked. Since they aren’t letting VP users use those apps, Netflix is explicitly not allowing that to happen. 

Perhaps they have some strategy here, who knows. There’s the notion that Apple is a streaming service competitor and an app store service competitor for Netflix. 

They want to have an App Store on iOS with no fees going to Apple. So, there might be some negotiation going on for that, but I imagine Apple isn’t tempted. 

Hreb

9secondkox2 said:

eightzero said:

I can't remember if Netflix offered an app for the iPhone when it came out.

iPhone didn’t have an App Store when it came out. 

And yet the iPhone did have Google Maps on it at launch, even without an app store.
You can bet that if Apple thought a Netflix app was critical to AVP then some money would change hands and there would be a native app.

mattinoz

It will probably be a better experience on the web like all Social Media is better web than native. 

InspiredCode

A few days ago they said they would make the iPad app available, I guess it must not have worked well.

InspiredCode

Curious if we see Plex. I don’t recall that in the list.

eightzero

9secondkox2 said:

eightzero said:

I can't remember if Netflix offered an app for the iPhone when it came out.

iPhone didn’t have an App Store when it came out. 

Oh. So I guess it didn't.

Now I can't remember if the mac had a netflix app when it came out. 

teejay2012

IMO having less exposure to increasingly bad content and higher prices on Netflix is a... feature.

ravnorodom

On job search sites, Netflix is on hiring spree for the gaming division. I think that’s where they are focusing right now. 

humbug1873

So far the Vision Pro is more hype than substance. It's only just coming out in a very limited release (US only).
Why would anyone bother to develop for that heavy piece of headgear? It barely holds enough charge for a movie and reading the reviews is too heavy to wear for an extended time as well.
Add to that the fact, that Netflix holds no 3D content, only an extremely limited amount of 4K content (even if you pay the high premium subscription at Netflix and the content would be available in 4K from the producers it is not so with Netflix).
Add to that that Netflix doesn't seem to be profitable and is in fact stuck in a growing mountain of debt.

The result is Netflix does the low cost approach we all see. Masses of self produced often low quality content, streamed in a minimum viable quality (they do compress the hell out of their streams leading to low quality). So no money left, for anything that isn't strictly necessary.

Let's face it, even if each and every Vision Pro buyer in the next 24 months would pay for a Ultra-Premium Vision Pro subscription it would barely be interesting for Netflix to invest. Since they don't have any relevant content even less.

AppleTV+ being Apple owned ... of course it produces stuff (AppleTV+ alone doesn't necessarily need to produce a net profit)
Disney+ actually has lot's of content (even 3D and 4K+) and has been tight with Apple for a long time. Makes sense as well. 

The rest is wait and see, since they won't be able to shift market share in any meaningful way, by offering Vision Pro.

danox

9secondkox2 said:

Netflix not jumping in both feet first on a hyped new platform means they’ve taken a gander and weren’t impressed. 

Kind of like everyone else not selling apps for it. 

The effort and engineering power going into the VP is astounding. Unfortunately, it’s just fundamentally flawed as a concept. 

 Ha...Ha...Ha...Netflix is nothing without all those Korean programs what are they going to do when they bailout.

Microsoft played hard to get too in the early days of the iPad.

danox

eightzero said:

9secondkox2 said:

eightzero said:

I can't remember if Netflix offered an app for the iPhone when it came out.

iPhone didn’t have an App Store when it came out. 

Oh. So I guess it didn't.

Now I can't remember if the mac had a netflix app when it came out. 

Like most they supported Microsoft Windows until they had no choice, if Netflix or Spotify disappeared tomorrow no big deal. 

JamesCude

What a brain dead move- remember this is a company spending billions every year and supporting an app that plays videos would cost them perhaps 100K a year or less.