Netflix downgrades its Apple TV app: What you lose

An update changes the video player in the Netflix app on Apple TV, making it more cumbersome to rewind and access useful features. Some features are removed entirely.

After testing the change for some time, Netflix has now started rolling it out widely, according to reports shared on Reddit and cited by Pocket-lint. FlatpanelsHD has also received the app update.

Specifically, Netflix has replaced the built-in tvOS video player on Apple TV with its own custom player. This makes playback of movies and series on Apple TV look more like Netflix on other TV platforms. Beneath the visual changes, however, lie a number of technical differences.


An inferior user experience
The change results in a degraded user experience for Netflix subscribers using Apple TV HD and Apple TV 4K. This is because many of the useful features on Apple TV are tied to Apple's native tvOS video player and the remote's touch controls.

The following features rely on Apple's native tvOS video player:
Easy rewind/fast-forward with side clicks (10 seconds forward/back) and 'scrubbing' (circular gesture)
Auto-subtitles when switching language, muting or rewinding
Customizable subtitle appearance
Enhance Dialogue in the video player
Double-tap to show what time movie ends
Info and video/audio format details in the slide-up menu
Extended Siri playback controls
Picture-in-picture support
21:9 CinemaScope support
Liquid Glass interface elements
Full playback controls from Remote app on iPhone/iPad
Now Playing widget on iPhone/iPad
Apple Home integration / automations
Accessibility features (VoiceOver, voice isolation, etc.)
HDR tone mapping when Apple TV 4K is set to HDR10 or Dolby Vision without dynamic range matching enabled
The list is not exhaustive. Some of these features can still be enabled via the Settings app on Apple TV, but they can no longer be toggled or adjusted during playback of Netflix.

Disney+ is not using tvOS's native video player either.


Users have no control
Netflix appears to have quietly introduced its custom video player via an app update, without informing users about the reduced functionality.

As a result, users are forced to accept the significantly degraded experience, as it is not possible to revert the Netflix app to a previous version on Apple TV.

The Netflix app still supports matching of frame rate and dynamic range.

- Source: Pocket-lint, Reddit