Netflix for Apple TV finally gains an updated tvOS 15 interface

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What you need to know

  • Netflix has begun to use the tvOS 15 media player on its Apple TV app.
  • Subtitles have moved to a new location at the end of the progress bar.

Netflix has updated its Apple TV+ app to take advantage of the new tvOS 15 media player. While the changes aren't huge, the move does mean that using the Netflix app will now be a more consistent experience when switching between other media playback apps that also use the same media player and controls.

While Netflix has long used Apple's own media player, the move to using the newer tvOS 15 media player is something that we've been waiting for since late last year. It's now happened, with those who have automatic updates enabled now already seeing the interface change.

9to5Mac points to a Reddit thread from a few days ago that appears to suggest the update has been around for a little while now.

In terms of what's new, Netflix users will now see a new-look interface that shows the name of the show or movie in large text at the bottom-left corner of the screen with an "Info" button below it. Episode titles will also appear in smaller text just above it. The right side of the progress bar shows new options for picture-in-picture mode, streaming stats, and subtitles — they're now no longer accessed via a swipe down from the top of the screen.

However, those that had been hoping that Netflix would come to its senses and add support for the TV app will be disappointed — there is none of that here, unfortunately. Despite that, Netflix is still one of the best Apple TV apps for people who love good content. But that's more down to the decisions made by its content buyers than its Apple TV app developers.

Oliver Haslam
Oliver Haslam
Contributor

Oliver Haslam has written about Apple and the wider technology business for more than a decade with bylines on How-To Geek, PC Mag, iDownloadBlog, and many more. He has also been published in print for Macworld, including cover stories. At iMore, Oliver is involved in daily news coverage and, not being short of opinions, has been known to 'explain' those thoughts in more detail, too. Having grown up using PCs and spending far too much money on graphics card and flashy RAM, Oliver switched to the Mac with a G5 iMac and hasn't looked back. Since then he's seen the growth of the smartphone world, backed by iPhone, and new product categories come and go. Current expertise includes iOS, macOS, streaming services, and pretty much anything that has a battery or plugs into a wall. Oliver also covers mobile gaming for iMore, with Apple Arcade a particular focus. He's been gaming since the Atari 2600 days and still struggles to comprehend the fact he can play console quality titles on his pocket computer.