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Title: Netflix overhauls its TV app with a fresh UI and responsive
recommendations

Date: Wed, 07 May 2025 12:15:11 +0000
Link: https://www.engadget.com/entertainment/stream...

Netflix is giving its TV user interface a major overhaul. Alongside a fresh,
cleaner look, you'll see recommendations that adapt to your activity as
Netflix tries to better gauge what you might be in the mood to watch. The
company plans to roll out the update over the coming weeks and months.

It seems that the aim here, as has long been a goal for Netflix, is to help
you find something you want to watch faster. That way, you won't spend an
eternity scrolling through the various options while struggling to figure out
what to start streaming.

Netflix originally designed its TV user interface for shows and movies, but
it had to evolve to better handle new entertainment offerings, such as live
events and cloud gaming. The company has been working on the new TV
experience since last year, according to Eunice Kim, Netflix's chief product
officer. "Our redesigned TV home page is simpler, more intuitive and better
represents the breadth of entertainment on Netflix today," Kim said on a call
with reporters.

The new tiles for each show, movie and so on are much larger. Rather than
having information about a highlighted title appear at the top of the screen,
the redesign brings everything together.

Each tile includes more at-a-glance contextual details as to why you might
want to watch something. It might indicate that a show or movie was recently
added, is in Netflix's top 10 list of the most-watched titles, has won awards
or is leaving the service soon. Otherwise, Netflix might believe that you'll
love the suggestion.

As you move between tiles, the animations will look snappier and more fluid
than at present, Kim said. The new UI also makes it easier for Netflix to
highlight live events ΓÇö such as Christmas Day NFL games, WWE programming
and Everybody's Live with John Mulaney ΓÇö at the top of the home screen.

The main navigation bar is now at the top of the screen, with tabs including
including home, shows, movies, games and My Netflix (where you'll find your
"continue watching" row, My List, reminders and so on). The search function,
which is where you can still browse through categories, is up there too.
Handily, you'll be able to switch to the top navigation bar by simply tapping
the back button on your TV remote.

As you browse, Netflix will adapt its recommendations on the fly. So, if you
happen to give Squid Game a double thumbs-up to indicate you love the show,
Netflix might on the fly add a row filled with similar titles a little
further down the home screen. Trailers you watch and your searches will
affect these responsive recommendations too. This all happens behind the
scenes in the hope of making everything feel seamless.

Netflix has long integrated factors like viewing habits into personalized
suggestions. "What's new about the responsive recommendations is active
browsing behavior," Elizabeth Stone, the company's chief technology officer,
said. "It could also include things like time of day, as one example. It may
also, over time, include situations where a member's able to give an explicit
input in terms of what they're looking for."

Netflix

Elsewhere, Netflix recently started testing a generative AI search feature
powered by OpenAI. The idea here is to let you search for titles depending on
your mood. So, you might ask for something that's both a little scary and a
little funny, but not too much of either (horror comedy is the best film
genre after all), and you'll get some relevant suggestions. Some users in
Australia and New Zealand were the first to get access to this tool. Netflix
is rolling it out to more subscribers starting this week as an opt-in beta.

The company will also start a global test of a vertical video feature on
mobile in the coming weeks. The feed will include clips and trailers, and it
will be accessible from a row on the app's home screen. You'll be able to tap
to watch the show or movie right away or add it to My List. There's an option
to share the clip too. Netflix has tried similar feeds of comedy clips and
snippets from kids shows over the last few years.

Meanwhile, when asked if Netflix will follow the likes of Spotify in allowing
signups from its iOS app after Apple was forced to change its App Store
payment policies, Kim said the company is keeping a close eye on the
situation but didn't have any updates to share for now. In the meantime,
Netflix will "continue to abide by the App Store policies until we hear more
about how to best implement any changes going forward."

This article originally appeared on Engadget at
https://www.engadget.com/entertainment/stream...
with-a-fresh-ui-and-responsive-recommendations-121511958.html?src=rss

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