Netflix won’t have a dedicated app for the Apple Vision Pro headset which will be available beginning Friday, February 2nd, at all U.S. Apple Store locations and the U.S. Apple Store online. Instead, Netflix subscribers can simply use the Safari web browser. Pre-orders for Apple Vision Pro begin Friday, January 19th, at 8am EST / 5am PST.
Mark Gurman for Bloomberg News:
Rather than design a Vision Pro app — or even just support its existing iPad app on the platform — Netflix said in a statement that users interested in watching its content on the device can do so from the web.
It’s a sizable omission for the $3,499 headset, which debuts on Feb. 2. Apple is banking on entertainment content to help market the nascent and pricey technology, and Netflix is a must-have streaming service for many consumers. Netflix also offers apps for Apple’s other devices, including the iPhone and iPad, though it doesn’t participate in the company’s TV app.
The Vision Pro will run two main types of apps: new software written specifically for the device’s interface or existing iPad applications… The fact that Netflix isn’t even willing to support the iPad approach suggests that it’s taking a wait-and-see stance with the headset. It’s also a bit of a reversal for the company, which said in July that it would support its iPad app on the Vision Pro. Even then, though, Netflix didn’t plan to release software specifically for the headset’s operating system, visionOS.
MacDailyNews Take: Netflix wants as much customer tracking and other data as it can get. Apple’s App Store gives users too much control of their personal data for Netflix’s liking. That why Netflix doesn’t work in Apple’s otherwise comprehensive TV app.
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Big mistake.
Seems Netflix is imposing their “Store Approval Process”, as Apple has their “App Approval Process”.
The feds will finally come down against Apple’s “Alternate Store Blocking Process”.
Hopefully with punitive damages as well.
At least, for now, the Apple Vision Pro is not for the masses. So I understand that Netflix is not investing in a special app at the moment. Too bad, though
this round of Apple vision pro is mainly for developers. My guess the price point is a barrier to entry for the average user. I also think Apple my throttle down the role out slowly to give developers time to build out the App Store and limit the first purchases to be power users that will power through growing pains where causally users might readily give negative reviews due to difficulty of early adopters.
Steve Jobs liked to quote Wayne Gretzky. When asked how he was able to score so often Wayne replied, he didn’t skate to where the puck is, but to where the puck was going to be.
Likewise, companies need to be moving not to where the market or technology is but where it will be in a year, two years, five years, or beyond.
For example, Steve Jobs could conceptualize a personal computer that would eventually become the iPad as early as 1983. The technology wasn’t available yet but he was already “skating” to where the “puck” would be over two decades later.