A notable omission from Apple’s press release of Vision Pro entertainment apps earlier this week was Netflix. This signalled that the most popular streaming service was not planning on making a native app for the headset.
But it turns out, Netflix is even less interested in supporting the new platform. In a statement to Bloomberg, the company confirmed it is not planning to allow users to run the iPad version of its app on Apple Vision Pro either.
The Apple Vision Pro can run more than a million iPhone and iPad apps available in the App Store, in a compatibility mode where the apps appear as mini-windows in the user’s virtual space. However, developers can choose to opt out from this support. With today’s statement, Netflix has confirmed it is opting out, directing customers to access the Netflix website through the Safari web browser.
Apple has got most of the other big streaming services onboard, with some offering visionOS native apps and others offering the out-of-the-box iPad app experience.
That means Apple Vision Pro will run apps from Disney+, (HBO) Max, Amazon Prime Video, Paramount+, Peacock, and more. Disney is even committing to streaming some of its movies in 3D for the first time, giving Apple Vision Pro wearers a truly cinema-like experience for titles like Avatar.
Of course, the stock Apple TV app will naturally bring Apple’s own streaming service, Apple TV+, to the headset, including some new Apple Immersive Video originals that enables an 8K 180-degree video experience which will only be available on Apple Vision Pro. The TV app movie store will also include more than 150 3D titles at launch.
Apple Vision Pro goes up for preorder this Friday, starting at $3500. The first units will begin shipping to customers from February 2nd. Apple is only expected to sell about 500,000 units in the first year, which means Netflix won’t be angering too many customers by not participating. Perhaps, Netflix will re-evaluate a few years down the line when Apple has inevitably sold millions of visionOS devices.
FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.
Comments