Netflix will update its mobile app over the coming fortnight to set the stall for a new type of content – vertical video.
Revealed during the company's latest earnings report, the plans include video podcasts, new games, and live sports coverage.
Netflix is set for a major update and it's coming in the next couple of weeks. The company has confirmed that an "updated mobile experience" will be available by the end of April, and it will lay the groundwork for one of the biggest content additions in years.
The app for iPhone, iPad and Android devices will get a fresh redesign that puts the user at the heart of the new experience.
"We are launching an updated mobile experience at the end of the month that includes a vertical video discovery feed," said the company in a letter sent to shareholders as part of its Q1 earnings report.
"This redesign will better reflect our expanding entertainment offering and make it easier for members to engage how and when they want."
Netflix sees TikTok as a direct rival today, and so is embracing vertical video as a new content stream to appeal to a similar audience. New content will include video podcasts and live sporting events.
The streaming service will also embrace generative AI going forward – not for content creation, but to better recommend shows and movies, including with conversational discovery.
This potentially means you could chat to Netflix about the sort of content you'd like to watch and it'll give you suggestions – not just regular search results.
Netflix also plans to add more games to the service, which you can play on your TV. It currently offers a growing selection of party games in several regions as part of a beta test. They are generally couch co-op and puzzle games that can be played using a mobile phone as a controller. This will continue.
It's unclear though whether the mobile games currently available through its phone and tablet apps remain in its future plans.
