Netflix’s app won’t work on the Vision Pro

Apple’s Vision Pro headset won’t have a dedicated Netflix app at launch, according to a report from Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman. The streaming giant reportedly doesn’t plan to launch an app specifically for Apple’s headset, nor does it want to make its iPad app compatible with the platform.

The move means users won’t be able to watch Netflix in a dedicated app — like the other streaming services that have announced support for the headset, including Disney Plus, Max, Amazon Prime Video, and Paramount Plus. Instead, users will have to watch content from Netflix in a web browser, which will make the movies or TV shows wearers are watching far less immersive. It also will prevent users from watching content offline and could put limitations on resolution, as the video quality on Netflix’s web app varies by browser.

“Our members will be able to enjoy Netflix on the web browser on the Vision Pro, similar to how our members can enjoy Netflix on Macs,” Netflix spokesperson Kumiko Hidaka said in a statement to The Verge. Apple didn’t immediately respond to The Verge’s request for comment.

Daring Fireball’s John Gruber says that Netflix has a version of its iPad app available for Vision Pro testers that had been working “just fine,” and the decision not to release it has little to do with member enjoyment:

A little birdie informed me that until this week, the Netflix iPad app was available for those with access to Vision Pro hardware, and it worked just fine. This birdie still has the Netflix iPad app installed on their Vision Pro. Perhaps people at Netflix would disagree with just how well it worked — I don’t know — but I get the strong impression that the decision was political/strategic/spiteful, not technical.

Netflix was notably not mentioned in Apple’s announcement yesterday that the Vision Pro will launch with 3D movies and experiences from Disney Plus and Apple TV. Netflix’s absence from the $3,499 headset might make the device less enticing for those who want to use it as a place to stream their favorite shows and movies.

Update January 17th, 6:20PM ET: Added a statement from Netflix.

Update January 19th, 4:48AM ET: Added John Gruber’s comments.