What you should know
- Netflix has confirmed that it is not planning a dedicated app for the Vision Pro, a new spatial computer device, and will not be making its iPad app available to Vision Pro users.
- Users can still stream Netflix on the Vision Pro via the Safari browser, but certain features available on mobile platforms, such as offline viewing, will not be available.
- Other streaming platforms, including Disney+, Amazon Prime Video, and Paramount Plus, have announced plans to build dedicated apps for the Vision Pro.
- Disney+ is going all-in on Vision Pro, allowing subscribers to view content in immersive environments based on popular Disney franchises.
Full Story
Way back in July, we spilled the beans about Netflix not having plans for a dedicated app for the Vision Pro. If you’re one of those planning to drop $3,499 for the Vision Pro, you might’ve hoped Netflix would do a U-turn. But nope, according to Bloomberg, that ain’t happening. The spatial computer started taking pre-orders today in the U.S., and Netflix isn’t on the app list.
Other streaming giants like Disney+, Amazon Prime Video, and Paramount Plus have announced they’re building apps for the Vision Pro. The device is set to hit the market on February 2nd. Netflix, however, isn’t making its iPad app available to Vision Pro users. So, if you’re a Netflix subscriber, the only way to stream on the Vision Pro is via the Safari browser. You gotta visit the Netflix website.
The thing is, content on Netflix won’t feel as immersive as on other streamers supporting Vision Pro. You know, movies, TV shows, documentaries – they just won’t have that “in the moment” feel. Kumiko Hidaka, a spokesperson for Netflix, told The Verge, “Our members can enjoy Netflix on the web browser on the Vision Pro, similar to how they can on Macs.” But, certain features like offline viewing available on mobile platforms won’t be there for Vision Pro users.
Netflix might just be playing it safe, waiting to see how popular the Vision Pro gets before deciding to invest time and money on a dedicated app.
Disney+, on the other hand, is going all-in with Vision Pro. Subscribers can watch Disney+ content in one of four immersive environments. One’s based on Hollywood’s El Capitan Theatre, others on Pixar’s Monsters, Inc., Avengers Tower from Marvel’s Avengers films, and a Star Wars-themed one set in a landspeeder cockpit in the Tatooine desert.
Disney, which is always whispered to be a possible Apple acquisition, is head over heels for Vision Pro. Bob Iger, Disney CEO, says, “At Disney, we’re constantly searching for new ways to entertain, inform, and inspire by combining exceptional creativity with groundbreaking technology to create truly remarkable experiences. Apple Vision Pro is a revolutionary platform that will bring our fans closer to the characters and stories they love while immersing them more deeply in all that Disney has to offer. We’re proud to once again be partnering with Apple to bring extraordinary new Disney experiences to people around the world.”
If Vision Pro becomes a hot commodity, Netflix might just decide to develop a dedicated Vision Pro app for future versions of the spatial computer. But for now, other high-profile streamers not launching apps for Vision Pro include Google’s YouTube video streamer, and audio streamer Spotify.
