Netflix to redesign its app as it competes with social platforms for daily engagement

As YouTube, TikTok, and Instagram proceed to predominate mobile viewing, Netflix is rethinking however its app fits into a social-first video landscape. During its fourth-quarter net telephone connected Tuesday, the institution announced plans to revamp its mobile app and grow its short-form video feature, which it mentions could assistance beforehand the new slate of archetypal video podcasts it unveiled past week.

Set to motorboat aboriginal successful 2026, Netflix’s redesigned mobile app is intended to “better service the enlargement of our concern implicit the decennary to come,” according to co-CEO Greg Peters. The update volition enactment arsenic a instauration for ongoing experimentation, allowing the institution to “iterate, test, evolve, and improve” its offering implicit time.

At the halfway of the redesign is deeper integration of vertical video feeds, which the streaming elephantine has been experimenting with since May. The provender displays abbreviated clips from Netflix shows and movies successful a format acquainted to TikTok and Instagram Reels users. 

“You tin ideate america bringing much clips based connected caller contented types, similar video podcasts,” Peters remarked during the net call, further signaling that Netflix sees swipeable short-form clips arsenic a almighty instrumentality for capturing attraction and expanding clip spent successful the app.

Netflix is besides making a important propulsion into video podcasts—a assemblage wherever YouTube has agelong been the leader. This week, Netflix debuted its archetypal first video podcasts, including shows hosted by high-profile personalities specified arsenic Pete Davidson and Michael Irvin. The institution has besides partnered with large podcast players to bring established video podcast libraries to the platform, including tie-ups with Spotify and iHeartMedia.

Both of these moves awesome a broader effort to marque contented find and regular engagement connected Netflix consciousness much similar a societal level experience. At the aforesaid time, Netflix has been cautious to presumption its strategy arsenic experimentation alternatively than imitation. Speaking astatine the TechCrunch Disrupt 2025 conference, CTO Elizabeth Stone emphasized that the institution isn’t trying to go TikTok, but alternatively to fortify its amusement find capabilities done mobile-first features.

During the net call, co-CEO Ted Sarandos reflected connected the wider displacement successful the streaming industry: services are nary longer competing lone with 1 another, but with the full amusement industry. 

“There’s ne'er been much contention for creators, for user attention, for advertizing and subscription dollars, the competitory lines astir TV depletion are already blurring,” Sarandos said. “TV is not what we grew up on. TV is present conscionable astir everything. The Oscars and the NFL are connected YouTube…Apple’s competing for Emmys and Oscars, and Instagram is coming next.”

Sarandos besides commented connected Netflix’s evolving movie strategy, referencing the company’s caller displacement successful its theatrical merchandise strategy arsenic it prepares to get Warner Bros. This signals an openness to hybrid organisation models, arsenic the enactment betwixt cinema, streaming, and societal contented continues to blur.

In 2025, Netflix delivered $45.2 cardinal successful revenue, with advertisement gross rising to implicit $1.5 billion. Additionally, Netflix crossed the 325 cardinal paid subscriptions milestone successful the 4th quarter.