zlacker

I hope that this means that the Netflix app on AppleTV will finally become a “first class citizen.”

The Netflix app has always been treated badly by Apple. No idea why, but it means that I can’t have Netflix content in the “What’s Next” queue (among other things, like Netflix actors’ work not showing up in show information).

>>ChrisM+(OP)
Oh you think Apple is treating Netflix bad? No no no.

Netflix refuses to play game, because they want to keep their data to themselves. Apple would LOVE Netflix to integrate into the app.

>>ChrisM+(OP)
that is _purely_ netflix's decision; they have decided not to integrate. in fact, earlier this year netflix accidentally rolled out their internal version which has full integration with the APIs and then said "oopsie" and removed it again.

>>ChrisM+(OP)
This is on Netflix not Apple. They enabled it this by accident and reverted it back https://www.theverge.com/news/613307/netflix-apple-tv-app-su...

>>mrud+72
Wow that is quite anti-consumer! Surely a monopoly on streaming will help them realize this. /s

>>vluft+S
Yep. The APIs have always been publicly available for streaming services to use, Netflix just refuses to use them.

The reason is pretty obvious. Netflix would rather have users open their app directly so there’s opportunity to shove things in their faces, collect data from their browsing, and ideally become positioned as the user’s “main” streaming app. The user having a hub app and treating Netflix as one of several services directly opposes their aims.

The situation shares a lot of similarities with Spotify, which also refuses to take advantage of native APIs for the same reasons. Though in their case, there’s an added layer of irony with how they make all a big ruckus about how Apple needs to open their platforms up only for them to pretend APIs don’t exist after Apple adds them. As an example Apple had to hardcode a hack into HomePods to enable Spotify to work with them; where most services (Pandora, Tidal, etc) hook the official HomePod streaming APIs which pull directly from the service to the device, for Spotify Apple has to automatically AirPlay Spotify playing on the user’s phone to the HomePod. It’s ridiculous.

>>ezfe+J
Ah. That makes sense.

Thanks for the elucidation.

If that's the case, then we'll probably lose another app or two.

:'(

>>meffma+i6
I dont think its anti consumer, just anti competitive. Why would you allow a direct competitior to show your content on their branded devices and interface to help them become a one stop shop for all streaming services?

Apple should not be allowed to become a streaming front for all other companies.

>>ezfe+J
And quite rightly so. Why would Netflix let Apple list all their content in an Apple branded interface as if it were their own?

>>alt227+7O
Yeah true, but also this is a bit like saying the lock screen of your phone should not become a "one stop shop" for all push notifications. I actually do not own an Apple TV but I just imaging you have a list of shows from different streaming providers on the "home screen" (like it is on my PS4). And on a technical level it is just an API you integrate with (same as push notifications), which helps UX.

>>alt227+mO
Because it makes a potential customer's life more inconvenient, so the customer has incentive to not buy Netflix. For example, me. The only reason I have for not buying Netflix is this little thing.

Also,

> Why would Netflix let Apple list all their content in an Apple branded interface as if it were their own

That's not how it works. It literally says "Open in Netflix" or whatever app. All it does is make it easy to search for stuff, add it to your watchlist, and start playing it.

What Netflix doesn't like is that it makes it easier for its customers to watch non Netflix content...which is obviously anti customer.

>>lotsof+jp3
I hate to tell you this, but it might not be the full story that making search easier is "all it does."

Why doesn't the macOS App Store game search include results from Steam? That would be a very consumer-friendly thing for Apple to do, right?

The answers to both questions are related.

>>trunne+Pb4
Netflix does not have to pay Apple to be indexed in the TV app search feature.

It is purely an inconvenience to Netflix’s customers for the sole benefit of Netflix.