Netflix won’t release a standalone app designed for the Apple Vision Pro when the device is launched in the US next month, according to a report. The streaming platform’s app is available on Apple’s iOS, iPadOS, and tvOS operating systems. Apple also allows app developers to update the tablet versions of their apps to work with visionOS, but it looks like Netflix subscribers will not be able to access the platform’s content via an app when the headset makes its debut in the coming days.
Bloomberg reports that Netflix will not offer a dedicated app for customers who purchase Apple’s $3,499 (roughly Rs. 2.9 lakh) spatial computer when it arrives in the US on February 2. The company told the publication that just like subscribers who watch Netflix using a web browser on Mac computers, users will have to stream their content without a standalone app on the Vision Pro headset.
Netflix users will face a few limitations when watching content on the Vision Pro, according to the report, including no offline download support, limited video quality settings, and no “Environments” which means that you won’t be able to watch content with an immersive background. The service also severely limits streaming quality on browsers like Firefox, Google Chrome, and Opera — Safari (macOS 11 or later) and Microsoft Edge support streaming at 4K resolution.
The world’s most popular streaming platform was the most significant absentee on Apple’s list of streaming services that would offer dedicated apps on the Vision Pro headset. On Wednesday, the company announced that several streaming apps would be supported on the Vision Pro, including Amazon Prime Video, Crunchyroll, Discovery+, Disney+, ESPN, Fubo, IMAX, MLB, MUBI, Max, NBA, PGA Tour, Paramount+, Peacock, Pluto TV, Red Bull TV, TikTok, and Tubi.
Customers who purchase the Apple Vision Pro will also have access to 150 3D movies including Avatar: The Way of Water, Dune, Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse, and The Super Mario Bros. Movie. The headset allows wearers to watch videos in 2D and 3D along with Spatial Audio, according to Apple.
However, the lack of a standalone Netflix app for the Apple Vision Pro at launch will mean the upcoming headset — with its $3,499 (roughly Rs. 2.9 lakh) price tag — might be a little less appealing for customers who were looking for a more immersive way to watch their favourite TV shows. It remains to be seen whether Netflix changes its stance if the Vision Pro is launched in other markets outside the US.