Following a redesign of its app launched final 12 months, Netflix’s newest Apple TV replace is a letdown for customers, as the corporate determined to make a significant change to its video participant controls. As famous by Reddit customers, the corporate is not utilizing tvOS’ native expertise, which lets customers rapidly return and re-watch a scene that they did not hear properly whereas briefly enabling subtitles, along with different perks of utilizing Apple’s UI, identical to many different streaming companies have embraced.
Whereas Netflix did not clarify why it determined to ditch Apple’s tvOS UI, it is attainable that doing so would not let Netflix have deeper management of how its customers eat their content material on the app, that means that they possible cannot gather necessary information concerned with monitoring customers’ habits.
Nonetheless, this isn’t the one situation Netflix customers have been experiencing, as this replace has additionally rendered a number of features ineffective when making an attempt to manage applications utilizing the iPhone’s distant app. For example, customers say the “Skip Intro” and “Skip Forward/Again” buttons are not usable with Netflix, and the present progress bar, which was beforehand out there by means of the Now Enjoying widget on iPhone and Apple Watch, can be now gone.
Worse Apple TV expertise comes after a latest worth enhance announcement
This alteration of Apple TV UI is just not the one situation at present plaguing Netflix customers, as in March 2026, Netflix elevated the value on all its subscription plans within the U.S. For instance, the Customary plan with advertisements now prices $8.99/month, whereas Customary with out advertisements prices $19.99/month. The Premium tier, which incorporates 4K content material, prices a whooping $26.99/month. Netflix raised every subscription a few {dollars}, whereas rising additional member pricing from $6.99 for the ad-based model and $8.99 for ad-free, to $7.99 and $9.99, respectively.
Even with this newest of many worth hikes because the pandemic, the corporate is not providing any new perks to clients, holding all of the machine and determination limits the identical for every plan. In an age the place nearly each TV bought is 4K decision, it is getting a bit ridiculous to see Netflix (in addition to a number of different main streamers) nonetheless lock 4K behind a further paywall.
Moreover that, if you happen to’re utilizing a PlayStation 3 or different machine made earlier than 2015 to stream films and reveals, you in all probability cannot entry Netflix on these gadgets anymore, that means that the corporate is now limiting entry to decade outdated gadgets, whereas making Apple TV customers’ expertise worse, and charging extra with out new advantages.
Netflix all the time adopted a distinct path on Apple TV
The Apple TV is a product that is nonetheless value having in 2026 if you happen to’re into Apple’s ecosystem. Nonetheless, Netflix all the time had a bizarre relationship with Apple’s set-top-box and the right Apple TV app. For instance, in your iPhone, iPad, Apple TV, or Mac, you may entry the Apple TV app and test the reveals you are following from HBO Max, Disney+, and others.
This expertise makes it simpler for customers to handle the reveals they’re watching at present, whereas additionally getting ideas for issues they take pleasure in from these linked platforms. Nonetheless, Netflix by no means climbed aboard with that. In early 2025, Netflix briefly provided help for the Apple TV app, which a number of hours later obtained eliminated, and a PR particular person ultimately advised The Verge it was only a mistake and the corporate rolled again to how issues had been.
It appears the primary possible purpose why Netflix has by no means provided this integration is as a result of Apple would have entry to what number of customers click on on the corporate’s TV reveals and flicks, which is delicate information it would not wish to share with others. In addition they wish to preserve customers inside the Netflix app, not have them simply capable of change over to one thing on a competing service after ending a program.
